Why do archaeologists not dare to enter the tomb of Qin Shi Huang?

The tomb of Qin Shi Huang is one of the "promised lands" that archaeologists, historians, experts and researchers want to explore the most.

Previously, in 1974, farmers in Shaanxi Province (China) accidentally discovered one of the most shocking archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. Specifically, while digging in a field, they found fragments of human statues made of clay. However, this was just the tip of the iceberg.

Archaeologists found many terracotta warrior statues near the tomb of Qin Shi Huang.

Subsequent excavations revealed that the field lay atop numerous pits containing thousands of life-size terracotta figures of soldiers and war horses. Archaeologists also found statues of mandarins, acrobats, and animals.

To date, experts have discovered a terracotta army of more than 8,000 warrior statues in three pits about 1.6 km northeast of the tomb of Qin Shi Huang. The mission of this army seems to be to protect the tomb of Qin Shi Huang (259 BC – 210 BC), the first emperor in Chinese history.

In fact, experts and archaeologists have explored much of the surrounding cemetery. However, the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang has never been opened. It seems that no one has looked inside this giant mausoleum for more than 2,000 years, since the emperor was buried.

One of the important and decisive reasons is that archaeologists are concerned that the excavation may damage the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and lose important historical information. Currently, if experts want to go deeper into the tomb, they can only use invasive archaeological techniques and are likely to cause irreparable damage.

One of the most obvious examples is the excavation of Troy by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in the 1870s. In his haste and simple-mindedness, this expert's actions destroyed almost every trace of the city he wanted to explore. Of course, archaeologists certainly do not want to become impatient and make the same mistake.

Archaeologists have proposed noninvasive techniques to peer into the tomb. One prominent idea is to use muons, subatomic particles formed when cosmic rays collide with atoms in the Earth’s atmosphere. Muons can penetrate structures like advanced X-rays. But most of these proposals seem to be lagging behind.

What is the most terrifying "trap" in the tomb of Qin Shi Huang?

In addition, according to experts, deliberately opening the central tomb, where the remains of Emperor Qin Shi Huang are located, could also lead to many deadly dangers. According to the records of historian Sima Qian about 100 years after Qin Shi Huang's death, the tomb of the famous emperor contained many traps to kill any intruder.

“Palaces and viewing towers for hundreds of officials were built, and the mausoleum was filled with rare objects and wonderful treasures. Craftsmen were ordered to make crossbows and arrows to shoot anyone who entered the tomb. Mercury was used to simulate rivers, the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and the Great Sea. They were set to flow mechanically,” wrote historian Sima Qian.

The tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is said to contain a lot of mercury and deadly "traps".

Even though weapons and traps have become ineffective after more than 2,000 years, the tomb of Qin Shi Huang still contains a huge amount of liquid mercury that can kill anyone who dares to violate the emperor's resting place. In fact, scientists have tested the area around the tomb and found that the mercury concentration is significantly higher than what should be found in a normal area. This shows that the historian Sima Qian's account is well-founded.

According to a study published in the journal Nature in 2020, experts said that mercury is volatile and can escape through cracks (which appear inside the structure over time), and this investigation further supports ancient records of the central crypt, which is believed to have never been looted or opened.

To this day, the tomb of Qin Shi Huang remains a “difficult” problem for experts and scientists. The tomb is still sealed and has never been opened. In the near future, with the advancement of science and technology, it may help experts discover and decode the mysteries that have remained intact in this tomb for more than 2,000 years.

(Source: Vietnamese Women)

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