By Lena Blietz

A squad of life-size soldiers, crafted in terracotta more than two millenniums ago, will come to the halls of the Field Museum this Friday.

The exhibit China’s First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors will include ten of the statues, including soldiers, archers and horses.

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The warriors are among thousands of figures that were discovered in an ancient tomb near the Chinese city of Xi’an. The museum and its sponsors, including United Airlines, hope patrons will be inspired to travel to China after viewing the exhibit.

“This will be very helpful for stimulating two-way tourism between China and Chicago,” said Zhao Weiping, the Chinese Consul General to Chicago.

The artworks were originally created to guard Emperor Qin Shihuangdi’s tomb. The leader is known for uniting China and commissioning the Great Wall.

A similar exhibit of the terracotta army was in Chicago thirty years ago. The Field Museum is the only place it can be seen in North America this year.

The exhibit will also feature bronze artifacts and weaponry.