Scientists solve the mystery of Terracotta Army weapons

Republication from  sciencedaily.com

Photo credit: New York Times

.

Source: University College London

The chrome plating on the Terracotta Army bronze weapons — once thought to be the earliest form of anti-rust technology — derives from a decorative varnish rather than a preservation technique, finds a new study co-led by UCL and Terracotta Army Museum researchers.

The study, published today in Scientific Reports, reveals that the chemical composition and characteristics of the surrounding soil, rather than chromium, may be responsible for the weapons’ famous preservation power.

The Making of PRC: The gradual territorial advance of Mao Zedong’s Red Army in China

 

Four maps on the gradual territorial advance of Mao Zedong’s Communist Army (red colour) in China from 1946 to 1950, after bloody fighting against the Nationalist army and other local forces (white colour). The

Chang-an, capital of the Chinese Sui ang T’ang Dynasties

A city plan of Chang-an, capital of the Chinese Sui ang T’ang Dynasties. Also a map of the

The evolution of shields in China (with references also to Korea and Japan) part III

Shang Dynasty warriors with shields and bronze masks (reconstruction by the archaeologist A.I. Colovbeva)

.

CONTINUED FROM PART II

.

In this last part, I go on with modern reliable images of Chinese troops bearing shields from the Shang Dynasty Era up to the 19^th century in order to demonstrate specifically the evolution of the Chinese shields. There are also a few examples of Korean and Japanese shields which are closely related to the Chinese ones, sometimes being almost identical with them.

The evolution of shields in China (with references also to Korea and Japan) part II

A clash between Tang Chinese (on the left) and Koreans (The Tang Army, Montvert publications). Note the shield of the Chinese infantryman on the left.

.

CONTINUED FROM PART I

.

I go on with modern reliable images of Chinese troops bearing shields from the Shang Dynasty Era up to the 19^th century in order to demonstrate specifically the evolution of the Chinese shields. There are also a few examples of Korean and Japanese shields which are closely related to the Chinese ones, sometimes being almost identical with them.

The evolution of shields in China (with references also to Korea and Japan) part I

I chose to start with a Japanese example: Yayoi princess/queen Himiko with her guards, c.230 CE (Osprey publishing). Note the shield of the Yayoi warrior.

.

            The question of the limited presence of shields or evidence of them in the archaeological finds of China, Korea and Japan, and in the artistic depictions of any kind of the respective cultures is well known to the researchers of ancient and pre-modern warfare of these nations [actually the European historical terms “ancient”, “medieval” etc cannot be applied adequately to the Chinese-Korean-Japanese History but the Western historians have to use them for convenience].