The Most Magnificent Ancient Palace Never Seen

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang

I am sure that most of you know about the "terracotta army" (see photo) created for Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 BC - 210 BC). These 8,000 replicas of warriors were placed in his tomb for his expected afterlife, and they were discovered near Xi'an China in 1974. The discovery of these warriors is considered one of the greatest archaeological finds in history. However, did you know that an even greater discovery lies dormant in the same area?

According to ancient accounts, the emperor created a miniature underground city in an area that covered the equivalent of about 45 football fields. Within this city, he built a palace that was about 550 feet long, 400 feet wide, and as tall as a modern 10-story building. Near the mausoleum, using materials that included gold, silver, and bronze, artisans created a three-dimensional scaled map of his empire. The rivers were represented by liquid mercury, kept flowing by pumps. The ceiling was encrusted with precious jewels to represent the stars. Torches burning whale oil kept everything lit.

Was all this mythology? Using ground-penetrating radar and soil core samples, modern scientists have confirmed that the suspected site (completely covered by soil and vegetation) contains huge man-made structures in the reported configurations, and there is evidence of significantly abnormal amounts of mercury.

So, why haven't Chinese archaeologists excavated this site and then generate great sums of foreign currency through controlled tourism? Apparently, they are hesitant to open the tomb because they fear that they will damage the artifacts, or even cause the collapse of the palace. Unless techniques are perfected to guarantee the safety of the tomb and its contents, this wondrous discovery is unlikely to see the light of day.