When Chinese archaeologist Zhao Kangmin answered the phone in April 1974, he was informed by a group of farmers who had found some antiques while digging a well, BBC reported.
While needing water during the drought, these farmers dug about 1 meter deep and encountered hard red soil and then found pottery edges with real size and some copper arrowroots.
Zhao Kangmin's boss stressed that this could be an important discovery and sent him for consideration as soon as possible.
Working at a museum in Shipwreck province, central China, Zhao Kangmin had a good impression of what could be found.
Previously, the antiques were dug up from the ground in an area near Tay An city, not far from the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang.
A decade ago, Mr. Zhao Kangmin himself discovered 3 players with disguised kneecapes. But he was never sure that those statues date back to the reign of the Qin emperor (221-206 BC).
However, what he saw beyond all his imagery. Farmers digging wells have accidentally discovered one of the most impressive archaeological discoveries of the 20th century: The Terracotta Army is estimated at about 8,000 warriors, built 2,200 years ago to protect the Qin Shi Huang in the world on the other side. A large army, complete with horses and chariots, buried underground.
Zhao went to the location where he found the Terracotta Army with a colleague. Because we were so excited, we cycled so fast that we felt like we were flying. When I arrived, I saw 7-8 pieces of feet, hands and ends lying near the well, along with some bricks" - he recounted.
He immediately realized that this could be a ruins of Qin- period statues. Farmers who discovered statues of the Terracotta Army a few weeks ago sold some of the copper arrow to the scrap hang and were asked to stop immediately. The antiques were collected and brought to the museum on a truck.
After that, Zhao began to work hard to piece the broken pieces together. Finally, after 3 days of work, the two terracotta warriors burst into tears, each 1.78m high statue was restored.
Shortly after, a young journalist from Xinhua City visited the area and happened to see the statues and realized that this was a big discovery. The journalist made the discovery public and the information reached the top leadership of China.
Beijing authorities decided to excavate the area and within a few months, more than 500 fighters of Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army were discovered.
The main tomb of Qin Shi Huang is still sealed. There may be thousands of precious antiques inside the mausoleum, but the risk of encroaching on the resting place of the first emperor of China and concerns about irreparable damage to the antiques inside has not yet been excavated by the Chinese government.
In 1975, a year after the excavation of Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army began, China decided to open a museum at the site of the discovery.
Zhao said that during the first excavation, a delegate from Beijing said he had "made a great contribution to the country".
In 1990, the first archaeologist to approach the Terracotta Army in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang was recognized by the State Council of China and granted a special subsidy. He lives with his wife and two sons. Zhao passed away on May 16, 2018 at the age of 81.
