Although the Clay Army guarding the mausoleum of China’s first emperor has been excavated and is on regular display, the tomb of the emperor himself, the formidable Qin Shi Huang, who ruled from 221 to 210 BC, remains hermetically sealed, although archaeologists they know where it is.

Qin Shi Huang’s tomb is located in Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi and according to IFL Science has never been opened as necrologists fear it hides deadly traps due to fears of what it might hide.

In a text written about 100 years after the emperor’s death, the ancient Chinese historian Sima Qian reports that the craftsmen who built the tomb “were ordered to make bows and arrows to shoot at anyone who tried to enter the tomb.”

Also, mercury was used “to simulate the hundred rivers, the Yangtze and the Yellow River, and the great sea, and it was set to flow mechanically,” the text says.

Additionally, a 2020 study found that mercury concentrations around the tomb are at significantly higher levels than expected.

In addition, archaeologists are concerned about how the excavation could damage the tomb, losing vital historical information.

Currently, only invasive archaeological techniques can be used to enter the tomb, however carrying a high risk of causing irreparable damage.

The Terracotta Army and Qin Shi Huang’s tomb complex have been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites and are considered to be among the most important archaeological discoveries in history.