# Who really made China's Terracotta Army? Fingerprints reveal new clues

> Fingerprints from 2,200-year-old Terracotta Army statues show women and children helped build the army.
- Title: Who really made China's Terracotta Army? Fingerprints reveal…
- Summary: Fingerprints from 2,200-year-old Terracotta Army statues show women and children helped build the army. Fingerprint analysis of 8,000+ Terracotta Army…
- Keywords: terracotta army, qin shi huang, fingerprint analysis, ancient chinese, sculptors, qin dynasty, archaeology, ancient workshops, terracotta figures, ancient china, news, entertainment
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16222769/China-Terracotta-Army-Fingerprints-reveal.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-10-20T09:38:32+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: terracotta army, qin shi huang, fingerprint analysis, ancient chinese, sculptors, qin dynasty, archaeology, ancient workshops, terracotta figures, ancient china, news, entertainment
## Terracotta Army discovery
Scientists analyzed fingerprints pressed into 8,000+ life-size terracotta figures from 2,200 years ago.

> The Terracotta Army is a stunning testament to the power of the ancient Chinese emperors
## Fingerprint findings
45% of prints were left by adult men, 33% by adult women, and 22% by children under 15.
## Construction timeline
Built in early third century BC for Qin Shi Huang's afterlife, took over four decades to complete.
## Army composition
8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, 520 horses, and 150 cavalrymen were created in the army.
## Previous assumptions
Historically believed that ancient Chinese construction relied almost exclusively on adult male workers.
## Research method
Scientists measured fingerprint ridge distances to distinguish between adult women, children, and men.
## Statistical approach
Used Bayesian mixture model to analyze 79 fingerprints from 36 warriors for age and sex differences.
## Key finding
Artisans included women, children, and adult men working together in state-run workshops.

> The model results indicate that the artisan community was not exclusively composed of adult males
## Limitations
Small sample size from single pit; may not represent full workforce across all pits.
## Future research
Scientists plan to expand sampling to other pits and workshops for better workforce understanding.

> Future work should extend fingerprint sampling to other pits and workshops to evaluate spatial and temporal variations in workforce structure
## Historical context
Qin Shi Huang commissioned the army after becoming emperor at age 13 to guard him in afterlife.
## Archaeological significance
The army was discovered in 1974 and ongoing excavation since then reveals more details.
## Key takeaway

Fingerprint analysis of 8,000+ Terracotta Army statues reveals 33% were made by adult women and 22% by children under 15.