Scattered throughout the exhibition are a series of short films, each under five minutes, featuring curator Professor Tonia Eckfeld alongside leading experts from China. Each of these films focuses on a specific aspect of the warriors and the world that produced them, offering additional context to the objects on display.
These interviews are something quite special. Coordinated by the Western Australian Museum, specifically for this exhibition at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, they are the result of extensive collaboration with Chinese scholars. Each film speaks directly to the themes explored throughout the exhibition, adding insight you won’t find on a standard wall label.
For visitors who want to revisit those insights, or those who didn’t catch them while navigating the gallery, we’ve now made them available online. Watch from the comfort of your own couch, pause when you need to or dip in and out as you like.
See the full playlist on Youtube.
The films:
Tombs and the Afterlife
Professor Tonia Eckfeld discusses the history of the Terracotta Warriors, and what we know about the Qin and Han dynasties from their Emperor’s tombs.
Imperial Wildlife
Professor Hu Songmei reveals some incredible discoveries found in the tombs of our ancient predecessors, and explains what these animal findings tell us about life 2,000 years ago.
The Tomb with No Pyramid
Director of Baling Site, Professor Ma Yongyin, talks about Emperor Wen, who ordered a surprisingly simple burial for himself. This was very different to what had come before, as he had no pyramid to mark his tomb. As a result, the location was a mystery until only recently.
Shaanxi Archaeology
Sun Zhouyong, Deputy Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration, explores the importance of archaeology and the culturally diverse history of Shaanxi Province.
The Qin Superhighway
Professor Xiao Jianyi introduces the Qin Superhighway, considered a miracle of military engineering. Built under Emperor Qin Shihuang, it was more than 700km long and 60m across at its widest point, connecting the capital to the northern frontier.
The Emperor's Bronze Birds
Dr. Shao Anding examines the bronze waterfowl unearthed from Qin Shihuang’s tomb, and the restoration efforts undertaken to recover them. Remarkably, these birds were made with techniques not typically seen in China at the time, but instead were similar to other ancient civilisations in Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Colourful Warriors
Professor Xia Yin describes how the Terracotta Warriors would have looked 2,000 years ago. Although the warriors appear grey today, they were originally brightly painted! Now we seek to understand the pigments, why the colour disappeared, and how we can preserve the colour.
