Overcoming deadly traps and rivers of mercury: new discoveries in the tomb of China's first emperor.

Chinese archaeologists have uncovered new statues of the Terracotta Warriors in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the burial site of the first emperor of a unified China. According to researchers, one of the statues represents a high-ranking military commander, offering a fresh perspective on the military hierarchy of the Qin dynasty, reports Heritage Daily.

In 1974, farmers in the Chinese province of Shaanxi stumbled upon one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of all time: they found fragments of a human figure made of clay.

The Mausoleum itself was constructed over 38 years by 700,000 workers. At its center lies a 76-meter pyramid-shaped mound, beneath which historical records describe a chamber filled with bronze coffins, picturesque towers, and treasures from across the empire.

This site is famous for being surrounded by thousands of life-sized terracotta figures, including soldiers, officials, acrobats, and horses.

Opening the tomb could pose deadly dangers for the initial explorers. In a narrative written by the ancient Chinese historian Sima Qian about a century after Qin Shi Huang's death, he explains that the tomb is equipped with traps designed to kill any intruder.

"Palaces and picturesque towers were built for a hundred officials, and the tomb was filled with rare artifacts and magnificent treasures. Craftsmen were ordered to create crossbows and arrows set to kill anyone who enters the tomb. Mercury was used to simulate the flow of a hundred rivers, the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, as well as a great sea, and it is configured for mechanical flow," the historian recounts in his writings.

The recent discovery is particularly noteworthy as it is the first figurine of a commander found since the excavation of Pit 2 began in 1994. In addition to the commander, archaeologists uncovered two figurines of high-ranking officers and five others dressed in detailed armor of that era.

To date, among the thousands of terracotta warriors, only ten officer statuettes have been identified, highlighting the rarity and significance of this find. Additionally, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Terracotta Army in 1974.

We also reported on a unique find by a treasure hunter from South Wales. After two years of fruitless searching with a metal detector, the man found his first gold, which has already been declared a treasure.