The Truth About the "White Flowers" That Bloom When the Terracotta Warriors Are Viewed Under a Microscope
Discovery of the Terracotta Warriors
Fifty years ago, the discovery of the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang shook the world. The life-sized terracotta soldiers from over 2,000 years ago emerged from the ground, standing in an impenetrable formation, majestic and lifelike.
Yuan Zhong, now 87 years old, was the leader of the archaeological team that excavated the Terracotta Army. He is hailed as the "Father of the Terracotta Army" by Chinese history and archaeology enthusiasts.
Yuan Zhong has said that he will never forget the moment when he and his team brought over 8,000 terracotta soldiers and horses that had been buried underground for thousands of years to the surface. It left an unforgettable memory for all the archaeologists involved.
The Vibrant Colors That Vanished
In the spring of 1974, villagers in Xiyang, Shaanxi Province, China, were digging a well to combat drought. To their surprise, fragments of terracotta sculptures appeared at the bottom of the well.
A few months later, news reached the Shaanxi Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics, which immediately dispatched Yuan Zhong and an archaeological team to Xiyang to conduct an excavation. They unearthed the terracotta warriors and horses that would shock the world.
When the Terracotta Warriors were first discovered, they were covered in a full range of vibrant colors: vermilion, crimson, blue-green, pink-purple, black, and more. However, these vivid hues vanished within just 15 seconds.
"The whole archaeological team could only gasp in astonishment but did not have time to take pictures of the most perfectly colored statues," the archaeologists recalled regretfully.
According to historical records, the colors on the terracotta warriors and horses were treated with a special process. Before firing, sculptors applied a layer of primitive paint to the surface, which could bond with the paint colors and enhance their luster after firing. A second layer of paint made the colors even more vivid and durable, allowing the thousands of statues to retain their colors even after being buried for over 2,000 years.
Today, over 1,000 terracotta warriors and horses are displayed in Pit 1 of the Terracotta Army Museum. However, the paint on all the statues has now turned black and gray.
Museum experts believe that the colors on the terracotta warriors and horses have been permanently lost and cannot be restored.
The Challenges of Preservation
The preservation of the Terracotta Army also faces significant challenges today.
Researchers point to environmental changes, microorganisms, and soluble salts as the three major threats gradually eroding the Terracotta Warriors.
Environmental changes are the main cause of the fading and erosion of the terracotta soldiers. However, microorganisms and soluble salts pose even more serious threats. If you were to examine the terracotta warriors and horses under an electron microscope, you would see white "flowers" blooming on their surfaces.
Experts believe that these white "flowers" are mold spores that are ubiquitous in the air. When they encounter the right temperature and humidity, they grow rapidly.
As the mold spores grow, they secrete a large amount of pigments and acid-base substances. If they remain on the surface of the terracotta warriors and horses for a long time, they will slowly corrode the interior of the terracotta warriors, causing irreversible damage.
Although the museum now limits the number of visitors and regularly cleans the surfaces of the terracotta warriors and horses, it is still impossible to completely prevent the damage caused by mold.
Every time he visits the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Yuan Zhong feels regret, thinking that he made a major mistake during the excavation. At the time, he was only focused on excavating the cultural relics from underground without fully understanding that the humidity and temperature underground are different from those above ground.
This is the thing that the "Father of the Terracotta Army" regrets most about his involvement in the excavation of one of the world's most remarkable historical sites.
China continues to search for and excavate relics in the area, using more advanced technological equipment to preserve as many terracotta warriors as possible.
Summary
- The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 and features over 8,000 terracotta soldiers and horses.
- The statues were originally painted with vibrant colors, but they quickly vanished after being exposed to air.
- The Terracotta Army faces three major threats: environmental changes, microorganisms, and soluble salts.
- Mold spores, which appear as white "flowers" under a microscope, are a particular concern as they secrete substances that can corrode the statues.
- Despite ongoing efforts to preserve the Terracotta Army, the damage from mold and other factors is irreversible.