It is the tomb of one of the most important people in world history, and it has never been opened. Archaeologists are afraid of damaging the tomb of the First Emperor of China, more than 2,000 years old. But they also fear the traps that Qin Shi Huang has reserved for any intruder who wants to enter the interior of the mausoleum.
No, we are not telling one of the adventures of the famous American adventurer Indiana Jones, but of a real tomb, dating back two millennia, which would be filled with several "death traps". So much so that archaeologists have never been able to penetrate it. This is the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the very first emperor of China, who reigned 2,200 years ago !
It was in 1974 that farmers who wanted to dig a well came across what has become one of the most important historical monuments in the country : the Terracotta Army. Located in what was once a nondescript field in Shaanxi Province, this succession of thousands of clay statues of warriors and horses were carved to protect the tomb of the first ruler of unified China from 221-210 BC.
While parts of the necropolis, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have been explored, and are moreover accessible to visitors, the tomb itself has never been opened, not only for fear of damage what's inside and lose invaluable historical information, but also because of the dangers that could be inside, reports IFL Science. Archaeologists fear it harbors deadly traps to ward off intruders, not least because of a text written 100 years after the emperor's death by Chinese historian Sima Qian. The latter, who was the first to attempt to write the history of China since its creation, explains : "The tomb was filled with rare artifacts and wonderful treasures. Craftsmen were ordered to make crossbows and arrows primed to shoot anyone who enters the tomb".
Mercury in the grave
This threat may be imaginary, but another passage in the text could be true : "Mercury was used to simulate the hundred rivers, the Yangtze and the Yellow River, and the great sea, and made to flow mechanically," reports again the scientific media. Indeed, the emperor is known for his obsession with mercury, which he consumed in a quest for eternal life, and which could have caused his downfall at the age of 49. Additionally, a 2020 study found that the mercury concentration around his grave is significantly higher than average.
“The highly volatile mercury can escape through cracks, which have developed in the structure over time, and our investigation confirms ancient chronicles at the tomb, which we believe was never opened,” then indicated the researchers.
If today, new technologies such as the muon telescope make it possible to probe what is found through the walls, as archaeologists have done with the Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the pyramid of Cheops), no initiative of this type has yet been implemented in China.
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