Bubba and Squirt's Big Adventures
Fun Stuff
Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China
Amazing Facts:
The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging for a well in Xi'an, China. The army was buried with the first emperor of China, Ch'in Shi Huang-ti. Their purpose was to help him rule another empire in the afterlife. There are more than 8,000 soldiers. No two are the same!
Ch'in Shi Huang-ti was thirteen years old when he became ruler of Qin. That's when he ordered the construction of the Terracotta Warriors. The construction lasted until his death– nearly thirty-seven years!
Ch'in-Shi Huang-ti's significant contributions include beginning construction of the Great Wall of China, standardizing Chinese units of measurements and currency, and unifying Chinese script.
Bubba and Squirt's Mayan Adventure
Amazing Facts:
Altun Ha, located in the country of Belize, was an important ceremonial center for the ancient Mayan Indians.
It is believed that Altun Ha had been established around the year 25 BC. It covers nearly two square miles and contains more than five hundred structures. The largest pyramid, The Temple of Masonry Altars, rises to a height of 54 feet.
The original name of the site is unknown, but the current name, Altun Ha, means “rockstone pond.” It is named after a nearby village.
Altun Ha is an active archeological site. Over three hundred jade objects have been found there, including an ornately carved head of the Mayan sun god, Kinich Ahua. The head weighs nearly ten pounds and is believed to be the largest Mayan jade carving in existence. Archeologists estimate that there are still between two hundred fifty and three hundred unexcavated mounds, so who knows what treasures have yet to be discovered!
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