Covering 520 square meters (5,600 square feet), Pit 3 is the smallest of the three main pits at the Terracotta Warriors Museum, but it holds crucial strategic significance as the military command center that directed the forces in
Pit 1 and
Pit 2. Notably, it is the only pit that escaped the ancient fire damage, resulting in exceptionally well-preserved painted decorations on the unearthed terracotta warriors, with their original colors still remarkably vibrant.
Discovered in May 1976 and opened to the public in September 1989, Pit 3 has been fully excavated by archaeologists. Today, visitors can view the complete ancient command center exactly.
What to See inside the Terracotta Warriors Pit 3
Built in the shape of the Chinese character “凹”, the Terracotta Army Pit 3 measures approximately 28.8 meters (94.5 feet) from east to west and 24.6 meters (80.7 feet) from north to south, with a depth of 5.2 - 5.4 meters 17.1 - 17.7 feet) below ground level. The pit consists of three sections: the southern wing-room, the northern wing-room, and the chariot and horse chamber. A total of 68 terracotta warriors were unearthed in this pit, with 42 from the southern wing-room and 22 from the northern wing-room. Unfortunately, many of them are missing their heads. Archaeologists also discovered well-preserved bronze weapons, as well as ornaments made of gold, stone, and bronze. Additionally, remains of lintels and bronze rings found in the boundaries between sections suggest that curtains might have been hung originally for spatial division.
1. Northern Wing-room
This east-west rectangular chamber contains 22 unrestored terracotta warriors in their original excavated state. In addition to the terracotta warriors, deer antlers and animal bones used as ritual objects in ancient ceremonies were found here, leading to the speculation that the northern wing-room served as a venue for divination and pre-battle prayers.
 | | Unrestored Warriors in Northern Wing-room | |  | | "土"-Shaped Southern Wing-room | |
2. Southern Wing-room
Designed in the shape of the Chinese character "土", the southern wing-room comprises a corridor, passageway, front hall, and rear chamber. The front hall is relatively spacious, suggesting it served as a meeting and reception area. The rear chamber, smaller in size, was likely the commanding officer’s resting section. The corridor and passageway connected these sections for ease of movement.
3. Chariot and Horse Chamber
This square chamber contains a wooden chariot and four terracotta horses. The chariot, adorned with intricate polychrome paint and a parasol-like canopy, exhibits far more elaborate decoration than ordinary chariots. Given these, it was likely a command vehicle used for delivering military orders or issuing battlefield declarations.
 | | Chariot and Horse Chamber | |  | | Soldiers Standing Face to Face inside the Pit | |
Read more:Why are there partition walls in the pit of Terracotta Army? Terracotta Warriors Pit 3 - Command Center of Terracotta Army
Experts suggest that Pit 3 was the headquarters of the entire Terracotta Army. One key piece of evidence is its strategic location - positioned behind Pits 1 and 2 in a secure and hidden spot. Additionally, the terracotta warriors are arranged face to face along the two sides of passageways leading to the main hall, as if guarding the officers inside the southern and northern wing-rooms. Another clue lies in the items these soldiers held - Shu. Measuring about 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) long, the Shu lacks a sharp blade, leading archaeologists to speculate that it was a ceremonial object rather than a practical weapon. Last but not least, unlike the plain chariots in Pits 1 and 2, this one is decorated with colored patterns and carries four soldiers, one more than the others, suggesting it was reserved for high-ranking commanders.
The Commander-In-Chief is Missing
One puzzling mystery for experts is the absence of a terracotta warrior commander-in-chief in Pit 3. Some experts suggest that the Qin Dynasty’s (221 - 207 BC) highly centralized military system placed full authority in the hands of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. While there were many renowned generals in the Qin dynasty, during normal times, no permanent commander was appointed. The emperor would only appoint a general temporarily to lead the troops when war was imminent. Since the terracotta warriors in Pits 1 and 2 are stationed in a non-combat state, the command officer in Pit 3 may have been left vacant, awaiting an appointed leader. Others propose that Emperor Qin Shi Huang himself was the supreme commander. To uphold the emperor's dignity and absolute authority, his image would not be depicted among the terracotta warriors.
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| Terracotta Warriors in Pit 3 |
- Last updated on Jan. 13, 2026 by Doris Xue -
Pictures of Terracotta Warriors Pit 3
Next: Pit 4 of Terracotta Army Museum
