Level 1 Reading 10A

Ch.19

Reading 10A THE ARMY'S TRUE COLORS The first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, is remembered for the many things he did during his rule. Between 221 and 210 B.C., he started the construction of the Great Wall of China. He built a large network of roads. He introduced a new writing system, currency, and set of measurements. The emperor also ordered the construction of a huge army of life-sized terracotta soldiers. These, he hoped, would protect his tomb after his death. Lost in Time Today, the soldiers in Xi'an's terracotta museum are light brown, but they weren't always this color. They began as an army of red, blue, yellow, green, white, and purple. Sadly, most of the colors did not last to the present day. Before their discovery, the clay soldiers were protected by being underground. When they were unearthed, however, the air caused the coating under the paint to fall off. The paint disappeared in less time than it takes to boil an egg, taking with it important pieces of history.

New Techniques New techniques are now starting to reveal the armys true colors. Archeologists have recently discovered an area with more than a hundred soldiers. Many of these still have their painted features, including black hair, pink faces, and black or brown eyes. Chinese and German researchers have developed a special liquid to help preserve the soldiers' colors. After they find a soldier or other artifact, archeologists spray it with the liquid. They then cover it in plastic. Back to Life Archeologists are also finding colors in the dirt around Xi'an's terracotta warriors. It's important not to disturb the dirt, so the colors won't be lost. "We are treating the earth as an artifact," says archeologist Rong Bo, the museum's leading chemist. The next challenge, says Rong, is to find a way to apply the colors to the army again. Once that happens, artists can bring Emperor Qin's army back to life in full color.

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