Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality

Kneeling archer (detail). Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum 002812. Photography by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum

Unarmoured general. Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum 000852 Photography by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum

Armoured general. Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum 002524. Photography by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum

Armoured general (detail). Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum

Kneeling archer Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum 002812. Photography by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum

Standing archer. Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihaung's Mausoleum Site Museum 002816. Photography by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum

Standing archer (detail). Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihaung's Mausoleum Site Museum 002816. Photography by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum (1)

Painted maid from Changling Mausoleum Western Han dynasty (206 BCE- 9 CE). Painted pottery. Han Yangling Museum M19325. Photo by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi Histor

Chariot horse Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). Pottery. Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum 002548 002767. Photo by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum

Gold ornament with zoomorphic design Spring and Autumn period (771- 475 BCE). Gold and inlaid stones. Baoji City Archaeological Team BYM227. Photo by Qiu Ziyu courtesy of Shaanxi

Mythical stone creatures, Eastern Han dynasty (25- 220 CE). Stone. Xi'an Beilin Museum, 六○-170. Photo by Qiu Ziyu, courtesy of Shaanxi History Museum

Curator Dr Rebecca Rice. Photo: Te Papa