Guardians of Eternity – The Terracotta Warriors of the First Chinese Emperor

Few archaeological discoveries possess the immediacy and worldwide recognition of the Terracotta Army. Guardians of Eternity places ten original terracotta figures at the heart of a major exhibition exploring how the Qin unified China and how the succeeding Han dynasty consolidated one of the ancient world’s most influential empires. More than 120 ancient artefacts—including warriors, weapons, ritual objects, ceramics, bronzes and jades—reveal the organization of imperial power, military life, funerary belief and daily existence between the eighth century BCE and the early third century CE. Important material from the Han Yangling mausoleum expands the story beyond the First Emperor and places the famous warriors within the wider development of early imperial civilization. Designed for approximately 1,200 square metres, the exhibition combines dramatic object presentation, reconstructed colour, graphic interpretation and multimedia. Its narrative moves “From Figurines to History, From Mausoleum to Empire,” giving host museums a landmark archaeological exhibition with an instantly recognisable subject and exceptional audience appeal.