Mössbauer study of fired Lishan clay and terra-cotta warriors and horses of Qin dynasty (221 B.C.)

The sherds of terra-cotta warriors and horses and Lishan clay were characterized by Mossbauer spectroscopy, XRD, XRF, NAA, thermal and chemical analyses. Lishan clay was testified as the original material of terracotta warriors and horses, the kilning of these warriors and horses was first carried out in an oxidizing atmosphere, and then changed to a predominantly reducing atmosphere. With refiring experiments, the temperatures of Q3 and Q4 samples were determined to be 830±50 and 980±50°C respectively. Transformations of Lishan clay were determined by firing in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. The Mossbauer parameters of Lishan clay, which was taken after 2–24h firing, were changing up to 12h.