Thursday, October 6, 2011

Zhou Era Chariots in China


This article from National Geographic shows the excavation of a Zhou era burial site for a powerful lord. In this era animal and even human sacrifice were common for important burials. This was a very militant society that depended on chariots for battle, much like the Bronze Age Mycenaeans. Qin Shi Huangdi drew from this tradition when he designed his own tomb with its famous terra cotta statues that stood in for real soldiers and horses.