Terracotta warriors are on display at the exhibition in Xi'an to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors. Photo: Courtesy of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site

A major breakthrough in the study of the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC) Terracotta Warriors has revealed that some of the craftsmen who created the iconic statues were minors, according to the China News Service.

Experts say the discovery challenges long-held assumptions that only adult labors were employed in large-scale state projects during the Qin Dynasty. The evidence provides unprecedented insight into how handicraft production was organized, labor force composition, and even the broader social structure of the period more than 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologists made the discovery using ultra-depth-of-field microscopy technology, which enabled them to examine remarkably well-preserved fingerprints on over 40 restored Terracotta Warriors. More than 100 individual prints were extracted and analyzed for age and gender indicators. By applying fingerprint analysis, researchers were able to estimate the age and gender composition of the ancient pottery workers.

"Because the outer surfaces of pottery are polished smooth, fingerprints left by craftsmen are typically preserved on the interior," Liu Zheng, a member of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, told the Global Times on Wednesday. "Thanks to increasingly meticulous restoration work, we're now examining the inside surfaces as well. Fingerprint depth and size can offer clues - juvenile fingerprints tend to be narrower and shallower than those of adults - allowing us to identify prints left by minor workers."

A media report indicates that fingerprints left by younger individuals show more pronounced ridges and furrow depth differences, while those from older individuals tend to be more uniform and finer in detail. Preliminary analysis suggests that while most prints belonged to adult males, a small number were made by minors. Researchers say further study is needed to determine which stages of production involved young workers and whether certain tasks were divided based on age. 

According to Liu, historical records indicate that Emperor Qinshihuang mobilized vast numbers of laborers, including prisoners, to carry out massive construction projects following the unification of China. These included the Epang Palace, the Great Wall, the imperial mausoleum, and the Qinzhidao (or Qin Straight Road).

Archaeological studies estimate that the three main pits of the Terracotta Army contain nearly 8,000 life-sized pottery soldiers and horses, representing a complete underground military formation. Covering more than 20,000 square meters, the mausoleum is the largest of its kind in ancient China. In 1987, UNESCO designated the Mausoleum of Qinshihuang, including the army of Terracotta Warriors, as a World Heritage Site.

"This kind of pottery was made by mixing various natural minerals and firing them at temperatures of over 1,000 C, creating a material known chemically as barium copper silicate," said Xia Yin, director of the Cultural Relics Conservation Department at Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum.

Liu also pointed out that the labor force likely included many individuals younger than the modern definition of adulthood. "At the time, many workers were conscripted as early as age 15. This overreliance on manpower - particularly young labor - may partly explain why the Qin Dynasty was so short-lived. Its resources, especially human ones, were depleted too quickly," he said.

Liu Qingzhu, a senior fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, emphasized the far-reaching cultural legacy of the Terracotta Warriors.

"Subsequent dynasties, established by different ethnic groups in China, continued the tradition of tomb figurines and burial art seen in the Terracotta Army. This continuity highlights the lasting influence of the Qin funerary system and serves as evidence of the enduring and inclusive nature of Chinese civilization,” he said.