With
the discovery of the terra cotta army the grandeur and magnificence
of the forces of Emperor Qin came to light. Each figurine was
armed with a bronze weapon of that period. Over 10,000 bronze
weapons have been excavated so far from the site. These include
swords, daggers, billhooks, spears, halberds, axes, crossbow triggers,
and arrowheads.
The amazing bronze weapons reveal the dynamic metallurgical attainments
of Qin. The weapons were cast and modeled to a standard shape
and then were filed, chiseled, drilled and polished to have sharp
blade, shiny luster and subtlety.
A bronze sword unearthed had two symmetrical blades and from the
handle to the end, gradually became narrower and thinner. It was
technically highly advanced for that period.
Excavated materials also demonstrate that the production of alloys
was highly scientific. The hardness and tenacity of the metals were
determined by the proportion of the copper to tin in the alloys
that were used to make a weapon. Copper was appropriately proportioned
with 11 other elements such as nickel, magnesium, cobalt, and chrome.
It coincides with an ancient book, which records the precise proportions
of copper and tin for six kinds of bronze ware. For instance, an
arrowhead contained a poisonous percentage of lead for greater killing
power. It shows that during the Qin dynasty, people, through careful
practice and detailed research, had established considerable scientific
standards for metal production.
Related
Links:
Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang
China Pictures
of Terra Cotta Army Museum
On-line Shopping