The life-size terracotta warriors of the Qin Dynasty were discovered in China.
The figures form the Terracotta Army, a vast funerary installation created for Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China. They were buried near the emperor’s mausoleum outside Xi’an, in Shaanxi Province, around 210–209 BCE.
The modern discovery came in March 1974, when local farmers digging a well in Lintong County uncovered fragments of terracotta figures and bronze weapons. Archaeologists soon identified several underground pits containing soldiers, horses, chariots, and weapons. The figures were arranged as an organized military force, apparently intended to protect the emperor in the afterlife.
A common mix-up is confusing the location with Xi’an, the nearby city, or Shaanxi, the province. Those are more precise geographical answers, but the question asks for the country: China. The army is also often described as having thousands of soldiers, though excavation and restoration work continues and the full complex includes more than just warriors.