The finishing touches are being made to a unique exhibition offering visitors to Colchester Castle a glimpse into the minds of China's ancient kings.
Miniature terracotta figures depicting soldiers, officials, dancers, musicians and cavalry horses will be on display, for the first time in the UK from this Saturday.
The Gazette was offered a preview to see the 2,200-year-old treasures, all between 1ft and 2ft tall, being carefully unpacked and placed on display having been flown from Xuzhou Museum, China.
They were all found and excavated from a series of royal tombs which belonged to the Kings of Chu, which formed part of the Han dynasty, which lasted from 206BC to 220AD.
The figures contrast the earlier lifesize warriors seen at the First Emperor exhibition displayed recently at the British Museum.
- More in today's Gazette
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