Fear grips the archaeological community: no one dares to open the 2,200-year-old sealed tomb for a very good reason.

A group of researchers in China’s Shaanxi province uncovered what initially appeared to be ordinary clay fragments, but which ultimately turned out to be a historic discovery – the famed Terracotta Army. The find dates back to 1974. What began as a routine excavation quickly became one of the most important archaeological revelations of the 20th century.

During the digs, archaeologists unearthed around 8,000 unique life-size figures resembling human soldiers. This was only the tip of the iceberg, as they formed part of a much larger burial complex belonging to one of China’s most significant historical figures, Qin Shi Huang, the country’s first emperor. The emperor’s tomb itself has never been opened due to the serious risks involved.

Very little is still known about the burial chamber, although historical records describe it as an immense complex the size of a city, dating back to 208 B.C. These accounts suggest a scale and ambition rarely seen in ancient funerary architecture.

The site is officially known as the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. While there is no definitive confirmation, most evidence suggests that its layout was modeled on Xianyang, the capital of the Qin dynasty at the time. According to UNESCO, the complex covers roughly 56.25 square kilometers (21.7 square miles). Its sheer size reinforces the mythic status surrounding the emperor and his final resting place.

Tumba inaccesible

The tomb has never been fully excavated. Although archaeologists have worked in some areas of the mausoleum, they have never entered the central mound, where Qin Shi Huang’s burial chamber is believed to be located. That core structure remains entirely untouched.

It is estimated that some 700,000 workers were required to build the mausoleum. The Chinese historian Sima Qiandescribed the central tomb as a “vast underground palace with rivers of mercury flowing mechanically through channels.” If accurate, this description alone explains the reluctance to proceed.

Should mercury indeed exist in the form of lakes or channels, any excavation could expose workers and nearby areas to highly toxic fumes. The health risks are considered extreme.

Geophysical studies have detected mercury concentrations around the mound between 20 and 50 times higher than natural levels, suggesting that sealed mercury pools or widespread contamination may still be trapped inside. These findings lend scientific weight to the ancient accounts.

Sima Qian also wrote that the ceiling of the tomb was equipped with traps – including crossbows and spring-loaded mechanisms – designed to deter intruders. The tomb was built not only as a monument, but as a fortress.

Moreover, archaeologists believe that opening the tomb could cause irreversible damage, as changes in temperature, humidity, oxygen exposure and microbial activity might rapidly degrade whatever remains inside. For now, preservation outweighs curiosity.

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