Strange Room Found In Ancient Chinese Tomb

Pyramid-Shaped Chamber May Have Been Built As Passageway For Emperor's Soul

(AP)  Chinese researchers say they have found a strange pyramid-shaped chamber while surveying the massive underground tomb of China's first emperor and theorize it was built as a passageway for his soul.

Remote sensing equipment has revealed what appears to be a 100-foot-high room above Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb near the ancient capital of Xi'an in Shaanxi province, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday.

The room has not been excavated. Diagrams of the chamber are based on data gathered over five years, starting in 2002, using radar and other remote sensing technologies, the news agency said.

Archaeologist Liu Qingzhu of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences was quoted as saying the room is unlike any ever found in a Chinese tomb.

"Qin himself was very unusual, so it's not unexpected that his tomb should also be unique," Liu told the news agency.

Archaeologists theorize that because the room was built on top of Qin's mausoleum and seems to have ladder-like steps leading up, it was intended as a passageway for his spirit, Xinhua said.

Qin, who ruled from 221-210 B.C., is credited with starting construction of the Great Wall and commissioning an army of terra cotta soldiers to guard his tomb.

Thousands of the terra cotta warriors were discovered more than 30 years ago by peasants from a local commune who were digging wells.

[bareemperor]

Rumors persist the emperor built a scale model of his kingdom, complete with oceans of mercury and jewels as stars in the ceilings. Oil lamps were said to be built into the chamber, perpetually fed by enormous vats of lamp oil to illuminate the mini-empire for eternity. Should be interesting if the rumors are true...

[longntall]

The tomb dates from the period when Hellenistic influence was at it's greatest in Bactria and northwest India. One can not help but wonder if the Emperor Qin had heard stories of Egypt's pyramids from his trading partners down the Silk Road.

[downtowner97]

The mercury lake legend has fascinated me most of my life. It seems like if the legend was true, there would be higher mercury levels in the air near the tomb since mercury is boiling at room temp.

It is surely true that stories of the pyramids may have reached Qin, but his construction of a replica army to commemorate the individual sacrifice that united China is unique in the history of civilization.

[juwboy]

downtowner99:

Mercury doesn't boil at room temperature. Its boiling point at atmospheric pressure is 357C (630F) which is way above room temperature.

What you intended to say is "mercury EVAPORATES at room temperature" just as water does without boiling.

downtowner99, why don't you spend some time studying basic physical chemistry instead of wasting ours with your ignorant opinions?

[godseyesore-2009]

Come on juwboy, give us a break. Who cares about your technical digression which misses the whole point...talk about wasting our time...go figure.
Whether it is boiling or evaporating, the question is well taken and deserves attention by the site archaeologists.

[roesch21]

Congratulations "JEWboy"(LMAO) you know how to use google. The point of Downtowners comment was well recieved. It's people like you that should keep their mouths shut. Nice info in these comments though. Thanks guys.