Researchers Are Terrified of Opening a Chinese Emperor's Tomb. Here's Why.

A Dangerous Tomb

Archaeologists are usually fascinated by ancient tombs and are always in search of them. But, when it comes to the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, in China, even experts are afraid of dealing with it, IFL Science reported. There are multiple reasons behind this hesitance, and the primary reason is the fear of destroying this valuable structure. According to researchers, the invasive techniques used by archaeologists to explore tombs might destroy or damage the various components within the mausoleum. Other factors behind the reluctance include the various tales popular about the mausoleum which details the protective measures put into place to prevent vandalism and robbery.

Mausoleum of  Qin Shi Huang

The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is situated at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain, 35 kilometers northeast of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Qinshihuang, UNESCO reported. The grave mound where the Emperor has been laid to rest towers at a height of 51.3 meters and is placed within a rectangular, double-walled enclosure oriented north-south. The grave is enveloped by 200 pits comprising life-size terra cotta soldiers, terra cotta horses, and bronze chariots and weapons. On the Emperor's orders, from 246 BCE, a subterranean city was built around the grave, containing several burial tombs. The construction of the city ended in 210 BCE, with the death of Qin Shi Huang. It is considered to be the largest tomb in Chinese history, with several valuable funeral objects. 

Fear of Damage to the Grave

The city surrounding the grave has been explored to bits, but when it comes to the resting place, archaeologists believe that nobody has peered inside it for the last 2000 years, IFL Science reported. Experts fear that if they go inside the grave, using their invasive technique, valuable historical items might get damaged. They cite the example of Heinrich Schliemann's excavation in the City of Troy, during the 1870s. Scheilmann in his exploration destroyed the very city he set out to unearth, as an objective for his project. 

Proposed Noninvasive Technique

Several non-invasive techniques have been proposed to explore the grave, IFL Science reported. The most popular one is utilizing muons to peer through the grave. Muons are defined as the subatomic product of cosmic rays clashing with atoms in the Earth's atmosphere. Experts claim that muons can be operated like X-rays, and go through the grave to understand the structure's internal architecture. Researchers need more investment and technological advancement to apply such methods in reality.

Popular Tales About the Grave

There are various tales associated with the grave which claim that it is built with traps to stop intruders, IFL Science reported. Chinese historian, Sima Qian, said in his account of Qin Shi Huang's grave, "Palaces and scenic towers for a hundred officials were constructed, and the tomb was filled with rare artifacts and wonderful treasure. Craftsmen were ordered to make crossbows and arrows primed to shoot at anyone who entered the tomb. Mercury was used to simulate the hundred rivers, the Yangtze and Yellow River, and the great sea, and set to flow mechanically." Researchers claim that even if the 2,000-year-old weapons have become useless with time, the toxic mercury could prove to be fatal for grave diggers. Even though the pursuit of excavating the grave seems to be difficult, researchers are exploring more ways to enter this area.