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Archaeologists are concerned that the tomb of China’s first emperor contained death traps.
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An ancient Chinese chronicler wrote that the tomb was filled with mercury and the bows ready for bonfires.
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A 2020 study found mercury concentrations around the cemetery to be higher than expected.
Archaeologists are afraid to open the 2,200-year-old tomb of China’s first emperor Qin Shi Huang because they fear it could contain deadly booby-traps.
The mausoleum of the emperor, who ruled from 221 to 210 BC, is located in Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi. It is guarded by the iconic terracotta army, sculptures meant to protect him in the afterlife.
While parts of the tomb have been explored, the tomb itself has never been opened due to fears of what might be inside.
The ancient Chinese historian Sima Qian wrote an account about 100 years after the emperor’s death about possible booby traps inside the tomb.
“The craftsmen ordered bows and arrows prepared to shoot anyone who entered the tomb. Mercury was used to simulate the Hundred Rivers, the Yangtze River, the Yellow River and the Great Sea, and was set to flow mechanically,” the text reads, per IFL Science.
While some scholars Reject accounts Fanciful as it may be, a 2020 study found mercury concentrations around the cemetery at levels much higher than expected.
“It could be highly volatile mercury escaping through cracks, which developed in the structure over time, and our investigation is supported by ancient historical records on the tomb, which are believed to have never been opened/looted,” he says. paper.
The formidable and ambitious Qin Shi Huang was the first to rule a unified China, and historical reports indicate that he became obsessed with drinking mercury in a misguided search for eternal life.
He often drank wine laced with mercury, and may have died of mercury poisoning at the age of 49, in BBC.
Concerns about mercury aren’t the only thing keeping archaeologists from excavating the tomb, as there are also concerns that it could damage it.
The Terracotta Army and Qin Shi Huang’s tomb complex have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and remain some of the most important archaeological discoveries in history.
Read the original article at Business interested
