Pit K0006 – Civil Official Figures of Terracotta Warriors

Pit K0006, known as the Civil Official Figures Pit, was uncovered by archaeologists in 2000 at the Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum. This pit contains 12 pottery figures, including 8 civil officials, and is shaped like the Chinese character “中” (zhong), extending in an east-west direction. Covering an area of 410 square meters, it features a sloping passageway, a front chamber, and a rear chamber, all designed as an underground burial site with a civil engineering structure.

Unique Layout of Pit K0006 in Terracotta Warriors

• Sloping Passageway

The sloping passageway serves as the entrance to the burial pit, located at its eastern end. Its design facilitates the transportation of materials, tools, and various funerary objects needed for constructing the burial site. It also allows construction workers easy access in and out of the pit.

• Front Chamber

Adjacent to the west of the sloping passageway, the front chamber is a significant section of the burial pit. It measures approximately 16 meters in length and 8.2 meters in width. Here, twelve terracotta figures were found, including two types: figures with hands tucked in sleeves and charioteer figures. Additionally, a wooden chariot and ten bow-cover caps were discovered, suggesting that this chamber may have had specific ritual or functional purposes.

• Rear Chamber

Located in the western part of the burial pit, the rear chamber connects to the front chamber via a narrow passage. It is about 16.8 meters long and 6.6 meters wide. The chamber contained twenty-four horse bones arranged in a line from east to west, with their heads facing the tomb mound. This layout indicates its functional significance related to chariots and horses.

Cultural Relics Unearthed in Pit K0006

Terracotta Figures

• A total of 12 terracotta figures were discovered in the front chamber of Pit K0006, categorized into two groups: 8 figures with hands tucked in sleeves and 4 charioteer figures. These figures appear more gentle compared to those from Pit No. 1 of the Terracotta Army.

• They are dressed in single or double-layer knee-length robes with a cross-collar and right-lapel design, secured at the waist with leather belts. They wear long trousers and square-toed low shoes, along with long crowns that indicate their status. Originally painted in colors such as red, green, black, pink, and white, only the faces retained some color due to groundwater erosion and the collapse of the pit.

Other Cultural Relics

• In the front chamber, one wooden chariot and ten bow-cover caps were found. The rear chamber contained 24 horse bones arranged in a line from east to west, with their heads facing the tomb mound.
• Additionally, one pottery pot and four bronze yue (axes) were unearthed from the site.

Pit K0006 in terracotta warriors is a rare unburned burial pit. Its wooden structure remains mostly intact. This is valuable for studying Qin Dynasty architecture. It helps us understand craftsmanship techniques. The pit also sheds light on the overall layout of burial sites. Additionally, it provides evidence for reconstructing historical scenes from the Qin Dynasty.