OLD CHINA TERRA COTTA SERIES STAMP ****RARE (02/24/2011)

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OLD CHINA TERRA COTTA SERIES STAMP ****RARE

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OLD CHINA TERRA COTTA SERIES STAMP ****RARE

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Sold Date: 02/24/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Stamps

PANRIC PRESENTS:

The Background Of The Stamp Works

The discovery of the terra cotta army which guarded the tomb of emperor Qin Shi Huangdi for more than 2,000 years is considered one of the greatest archeological finds in history.

The first fragments of the army were unearthed in 1974 by farmers digging a well near the base of Mt. Lishan in the Shaanxi province in northwest China. As archeologists excavated they discovered an army of life-sized terra cotta warriors, horses, and chariots. To date about 1,900 figures have been unearthed, but researchers estimate that there may be as many as 7,000-8,000 in total.

It appears that the statues were mass produced, drawing on numerous workshops in the region. Head, arms, legs and torsos were created separately, assembled, and then customized with features such as mustaches and ears. The ultimate effect is of thousands of individuals. In addition to the soldiers and horses, there are also statues of other members of Qin's court including acrobats and musicians.

Qin Shi Huang ruled 246 BC until his death in 210 BC. Born Ying Zheng, he ascended the throne of the Chinese state of Qin at the age of 13 upon the death of his father. As a young man, he systematically defeated the surrounding states unifying China for the first time. In 221 B.C. he renamed himself Qin Shi Huangdi, which translates as: First Emperor of Qin.

On June 30, 1983 the Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works issued a stamp series to commemorate this national treasure.

**** Note: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing only produced 2000 sets of terra cotta series nationwide, thus its very rare even to the locals.