The clay army stood in silent formation, guarding the tomb of the first emperor of China. Alert and ready for battle, they were to protect the emperor from evil spirits and robbers. If a robber did manage to break in, he might not escape in one piece—the clay army surrounded the tomb. Over seven hundred thousand workers built the first emperor’s tomb and created his army of clay. And it took them almost forty years to do it. The emperor did not want anyone to know about the tomb and its contents. So after he died, many workers in the underground tomb found that they could not get out. Walls
and doors sealed them inside the tomb forever. They were buried alive to keep the emperor’s secret.