Experts say don't fuss over terracotta army 'facelift’   

出土秦俑被指保鲜膜覆盖 馆方回应称系彩绘保护手段

(ECNS) -- Pictures depicting the terracotta warriors and horses of China's first Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), a must-see Xi'an attraction in Shaanxi province, have gone viral following an unexpected 'food wrapper facelift.'

Tencent Holdings Ltd, China's biggest social networking firm, posted these images on its hugely popular mobile messaging app WeChat in a sensational way experts did not quite appreciate.

The Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Museum stated that the use of plastic wrap is a common, well-established practice to protect colored drawings that remain on the terracotta figures.

Shen Maosheng, an archaeologist with the museum, said damage caused by fire and natural erosion during 2200 years spent in the ground meant that only a few of the unearthed terracotta sculptures are intact.

Another expert commented that the unearthed terracotta figures are at risk of dehydration due to having left their humid, protective underground environment, causing surface paint to dry and crack.

To protect these colored decorations against dry air and dust, all painted layers need to be sprayed with a protective liquid and covered in food wrap, the expert added.

It was the historic role of the terracotta army to protect the Emperor in the afterlife.