Terracotta Army workforce included women and children, study finds

New archaeological research suggests that the workforce responsible for creating China’s Terracotta Army included women and children, challenging the long-held assumption that the statues were crafted exclusively by adult men.

A study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, led by archaeologist Xiaoxi Li from the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, analyzed 79 fingerprints found on 36 different terracotta figures. By using a statistical model to measure the spacing between fingerprint ridges—which expands as an individual grows—researchers were able to estimate the age and sex of the artisans.

The findings indicate that approximately 45% of the prints belonged to adult men, 33% to adult women, and 22% to children under the age of 15. This demographic breakdown aligns with historical Qin and Han legal texts regarding forced labor and criminal responsibility. The presence of younger workers may also be supported by historical records of apprenticeship systems used during that era.