Should Qin Shi Huang's tomb be excavated?

[skylee]

I guess the first person to enter the tomb would easily be poisoned by the mercury in there. (Ignore me. I know nothing about this.)

[jimba_the_hut]

alot of political crap being thrown around on a thread that should be thoroughly interesting to discuss. would be interesting to read a perspective beyond a google search or a National Geographic article. An Archaeologist perhaps?

[GreatNose]

ok i know this is probably late and no one will read but the plan is that the tomb is being planned to be excavated starting in the 2020s. The only reason not now is because archaeology is slow and requires patients, also the chinese ahve lost much of their heritage and don't want to lose anymore just yet. So Archaeologists are taking there time and dicovering the rest of the terra cotta army first. But when we do get into the tomb there is supposed to be a small replica of Qin Shi Huang's empire with all the moutnains and everything, even the rivers which are supposedly flowing with mercury. Them to top it all there is supposedly a replica of the night sky and instead of stars, jewels for each star. If we do find that it would be pretty cool. So just let the arcaeologists take their time, and trust them, you wouldnt want to go to quick and end up damaging some of the architechture now would you. Thanks for reading!

[knadolny]

Yeah I say for them to take their time. If it is all it's cracked up to be then it would be sad to lose it in haste. Plus it builds up the mystery.

I think it's interesting to note that the only reason they are contemplating opening the tombs is because the communists came to power. If the revolution went along the lines of an emperor-republic (like Japan) then maybe China would still be protecting the tombs of their ancestors. Until the communist came to power, each successive emperor was in charge of making sure no one opened the tombs. The communists came to power and threw away that taboo.

[studentyoung]

国务院关于加强和改善文物工作的通知

　（国发〔１９９７〕１３号　１９９７年３月３０日 ）

二、正确处理文物保护与经济建设以及人民群众切身利益的关系，切实做好文物的抢救与保护工作

　　地方各级人民政府和有关部门要本着既有利于文物保护，又有利于经济建设和提高人民群众生活水平的原则，妥善处理文物保护与经济建设以及人民群众切身利益的一些局部性矛盾，把古文化遗址特别是大型遗址的保护纳入当地城乡建设和土地利用规划；充分考虑遗址所在地群众的切身利益，采取调整产业结构、改变土地用途等措施，努力扶持既有利于遗址保护又能提高当地群众生活水平的产业，从根本上改变古文化遗址保护的被动局面；尽量减轻由于保护遗址给当地群众生产、生活造成的负担，必要时采取适当方式给予补偿。

　　考古发掘坚持以配合基本建设为主，特别要配合做好大型基本建设项目的考古勘探、调查、发掘工作。为科学研究而进行的考古发掘，要充分考虑保护工作的需要，加强统一管理，严格审批制度。目前，由于文物保护方面的科学技术、手段等条件尚不具备，对大型帝王陵寝暂不进行主动发掘。今后，凡在文物保护单位和已普查登记的文物古迹点保护范围及建设控制地带内，基本建设项目的立项要事前征求文物行政管理部门的意见，由文物行政管理部门参与建设项目选址等有关文物保护设计方案的审批；文物保护和考古调查、勘探、发掘经费，要列入建设工程投资预算。因土地使用权出让和开发进行的地下文物的勘探发掘，所需经费由投资者承担，其区域内遗存的文物归国家所有。对已公布为全国重点文物保护单位和省级文物保护单位的大型古文化遗址、古墓葬群、古石窟寺、古建筑群、近现代纪念建筑等，可根据需要分别制定保护管理的专项法规或规章。

http://law.baidu.com/pages/chinalawinfo/1/81/b04f63c7ff895913ed39ea654c1e697d_0.html

Cheers!

[jatufin]

You have to remember whenever archaelogical excavation is made, the site will be destroyed. That's the very nature of the science. You'll have detailed recordings of the findings, artefacts and opened up site (and hopefully tons of scholarly publications, popular articles and TV documentaries), but _never_ ever can the site be examined again as pristine.

I suppose the archaelogists have hands full with sites around China, which need to be studied before they'll be lost forever under highways, dams, maglevs, ports, housing and all other stuff built during the economic boom. The tomb of First Emperor is not under such a threat. Quite opposite, every year brings more knowledge, experience and new scientific methods to handle the case when it'll be due.

The tomb has been there over two thousand years. It can handle few dozen years more, or centuries for that matter. Of course our personal curiosity won't be fullfilled if the excavation will be postponed beyond our lifetime. But that's hardly a reason to start digging in haste.

[youhao]

我们可以吃水银，而且变成不朽了。谁跟我？

We could all eat some mercury, and become immortal! Who's down?

Also the name "China" is derived from his Qin, or Chin dynasty. -bhchao

A Chinese friend of mine said China was named after Chinese porcelain Changnam hence it also being called China.

[Friedrich]

the name "China" comes from the Latin word for silk - I was told at least.

Somehow I cant remember how to say silk in Latin now though - four wasted years of my language learning life!

[imron]

Google translate tells me:

# SERICUM

# BOMBYX

So I don't think that's too likely.

[OneEye]

Another word for China, "Seres", came from the Latin word for silk. "China" came from "Qin" by way of Sanskrit चीन "Cin".

[skylee]

These recent news reports are relevant ->

秦始皇陵陵區啟動新一輪發掘 專家推斷有大量陶俑

New digging begins at Qin burial pit

From the test excavation, one 70-cm-wide and 61-cm-high tripod vessel and 11 pottery figurines were uncovered in the burial area. The tripod vessel weighed 212 kg, with an elegant shape, grand imposing manner, and smooth ridges. The pottery figurines stood bare on their upper bodies, which was the first time warriors have been found without armor or war shirts,