Ebook: The Terra Cotta Army: China's first emperor and the birth of a nation

The terra cotta army is one of the greatest, and most famous, archaeological discoveries ever made. Over eight thousand life-size figures of warriors and horses were interred in the mausoleum of the first emperor of China--and each figure is individually carved, perhaps representing real members of the emperor's army. Weaving together history and a first-hand account of his experience in China, John Man tells the fascinating story of how and why these astonishing figures were created in the third century BC. In doing so, he gives a vivid account of early China and the formation of its unique culture.--From publisher description.;List of maps -- Note on spelling -- Acknowledgements -- Picture acknowledgments -- Preface: Army of the past and present -- Part 1: Origins -- 1: Discovery -- 2: Grand historian's hidden agenda -- 3: Warring states, conflicting ideas -- 4: From prince to king -- 5: Making of China -- 6: Ruthless frenzy -- Part 2: Beyond The Grave -- 7: World to come -- 8: Digging the tomb -- 9: Making the eternal army -- 10: Sudden death -- 11: Consumed by fire -- Part 3: Eighth Wonder -- 12: Six thousand characters in search of a role -- 13: New marvels in bronze and stone -- 14: On handling treasures -- 15: To Be Revealed -- Appendix 1: Dates and dynasties -- Appendix 2: Qin and the terra cotta army in context -- Bibliography -- Index.