Archaeologists find 2,200-year-old fingerprints on Terracotta Army

Archaeologists have discovered 2,200-year-old fingerprints on dozens of statues within China's Terracotta Army. The findings, published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, provide new insights into the workforce that constructed the clay figures for Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

While previous historical assumptions suggested the production was exclusively male, the study identified 79 distinct fingerprints. The analysis revealed that 45% belonged to men, 33% to women, and 22% to youths and children under the age of 15. Under Qin Dynasty law, individuals of that age were considered adults, suggesting many may have served as apprentices.

The research team noted that the identification process was complicated by the fact that clay shrinks during the firing process and that the ridge patterns of different demographics can appear similar. While the data does not confirm the exact proportion of female workers, it suggests that Qin Dynasty workshops likely employed men, women, and young people.