Supine "acrobat" makes debut in museum housing Terracotta Warriors

XI'AN, June 11 (Xinhua) -- In contrast to the previously unearthed Terracotta Warriors that are either sitting or standing, a figure in a lying position made its public debut Saturday after being restored in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The relic was given the temporary name "supine figure," according to the province's ceremony in concord with China's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day 2022, which falls on Saturday, at Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum.

Archaeologists discovered the figure at the Acrobats Pit, or Pit 9901 of the museum. Different from terracotta soldiers and civil officials in other burial pits, figures in Pit 9901 might portray the acrobats who performed in the imperial palace, according to the museum.

Discovered in 1974, the army of Terracotta Warriors was built by Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C.-207 B.C.), who unified China for the first time.

A dozen of debris and impaired head and limbs were put back on the figure after a nine-month restoration project. The repaired figure measures 154 cm in length and weighs 101 kg.

There are fingerprints on the belly and lacquer stains on the arms of the figure, which provide clues on handicrafts for further archaeological studies, according to restorers.