Dr Xiuzhen Li

Research Interests

Transition of the Bronze Age to Iron Age in China, Crafts production in the Qin Empire, Spatial and statistical analysis, 3D reconstruction, Metallurgy, Bronze weapons, Terracotta Army, The Qin iron, Horses and the Qin society, Interaction between the Qin and Xongnu

Research Projects

Horsepower, ERC Synergy project

Qin Iron, AHRC project

Imperial Logistic, British Academy project

Working Experience

Current ERC Synergy Postdoctoral Researcher of the Horsepower Project, School of Archaeology, Oxford.

AHRC Principal Research Fellow, UCL Institute of Archaeology, London.  

2019-2020   Departmental Lecturer in Chinese Archaeology, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford.

2012-2021   Senior archaeologist employed in the Department of Archaeology, Emperor Qin

Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Xian, China; Honorary senior research

associate in the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.

1989-2012  Archaeologist in the Department of Archaeology, Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, China.

Publications 

Li, X. 2020. Bronze weapons of the Qin Terracotta Warriors: standardisation, craft specialisation and labour organisation. Oxford: Bar Publishing.

Lin, J. and Li, X. 2018. China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors. Liverpool: National Museum of Liverpool Press.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Hu, Y., Lan, D., Wang, J., Hou, M., Li, S., Li, X., and Zhu, L. 2022. Measurement and analysis of facial features of terracotta warriors based on high-precision 3D point clouds. Heritage Science, volume 10: 40. 

Li, X., Bevan, A., Martinón-Torres, M., Yin, X., and K. Zhao 2016. Marking practice and the making of the Qin Terracotta Army. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, vol.42, 169-183.

Li, X., Bevan, A., Martinón-Torres, M., Rehren, Th., Cao, W. Yin, X., and K. Zhao 2014. Crossbows and imperial craft organisation: the bronze triggers of China’s Terracotta Army. Antiquity, vol.88, 126-140.

Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Meeks, N. D., Yin, X. and Kun, Z. 2011. Inscriptions, filing, grinding and polishing marks on the bronze weapons from the Qin Terracotta Army in China. Journal of Archaeological Science 38, 492-501.

Martinón-Torres, M., Li, X., Xia, Y., Benzonell, A., Bevan, A., Ma, Sh., Huang, J., Wang, L., Lan, D., Liu, J., Liu, S., Zhao, Zh., Zhao, K., and Rehren, Th. 2019. Surface chromium on Terracotta Army bronze weapons is neither an ancient anti-rust treatment nor the reason for their good preservation. Scientific Report 9: 5289, pp1-11.

Bevan, A., Li, X., Zhao, Zh., Huang, J., Laidlaw, S., Xi, n., Xia, Y., Ma Sh., and Martinón-Torres, M. 2018. Ink marks, bronze crossbows and their implications for the Qin Terracotta Army. Heritage Science (2018) 6:75, 2-10.

Quinn, P., Zhang, S., Xia, Y., and Li, X. 2017. Building the Terracotta Army: Ceramic craft technology and organisation of production at Qin Shihuang's mausoleum complex. Antiquity, 91 (358), 966-979. (doi:10.15184/aqy.2017.126)

Martinón-Torres, M., Li, X., Bevan, A., Xia, Y.. Zhao, K. and Rehren Th,. 2014. Forty thousand arms for a single emperor: from chemical data to the labour organization behind the bronze arrows of the Terracotta Army, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 21, 534–562 (doi: 10.1007/s10816-012-9158-z)

Bevan, A. H., Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Green, S., Xia, Y., Zhao, K., Zhao, Z., Ma, S., Wei, C., Rehren, Th. 2014. Computer vision, archaeological classification and China's terracotta warriors. Journal of Archaeological Science 49, 249-254. (doi:10.1016/j.jas.2014.05.014).

Li, X., Martinón-Torres, M., Bevan, A., Rehren, Th., Xia, Y., and Zhao, K. 2011. 秦俑坑出土青铜弩机生产的标准化及劳动力组织 (Standardisation and labour organisation in the Qin bronze triggers of the Terracotta Warriors). Qin Shihuangling Bowuyuan Yuankan, Volume 1, p251-263.

Martinón-Torres, M. Li, X., Bevan, A., Xia, Y., Kun, Z. and Th. Rehren 2011. Making weapons for the Terracotta Army. Archaeology International 13-14: 65-67 (doi: 10.5334/ai.1316).

BOOK CHAPTERS

Li, X. 2023. Biography and technology: A bronze ding vessel of the Iron Age in China. In Nimuta, C., O'Sullivan, R., and Bradley, R. (eds.) Sentient Archaeologies : global perspectives on places, objects, and practice. Oxford and Philadelphia: Oxbow Books. 

Li, Xiuzhen. 2023. Art and Technology: the Creation of the Terracotta Army of Qin Shihuang. In Martinon-Torres and Hou (eds.) The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties: the Warriors of Xi’an (in both Spanish and English). Alicante: Archaeological Museum of Alicante.

Martinón-Torres, M., Li, X,, Bevan, A,, and  Rehren, T. 2023. Archaeology, science, and the burial complex of China's First Emperor. In Martinon-Torres and Hou (eds.) The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties: the Warriors of Xi’an (in both Spanish and English). Alicante: Archaeological Museum of Alicante.

Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Xia, Y., Zhao, K., Bevan, A. H., Rehren, Th. 2014. Tool marks under SEM: inscriptions, and the filing and grinding marks on the Qin bronze weapons made for the Qin Terracotta Warriors. In Cao, W. and Rehren, Th. (eds.). Proceedings of International Symposium on Qin Period Metallurgy and its Social and Archaeological Context, 47-57. Beijing: Kexuechubanshe.

Martinon-Torres, M., Bevan, A., Li, X.J. 2015. Mapas de distribución, estadística espacial y organización de la producción en arqueología: las armas de bronce de los guerreros de terracota de Xi'an, China. Sémata: Ciencias Sociais e Humanidades, 27 141-158.

Bevan, A. H., Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Rehren, Th. 2014. Some thoughts on the quantitative spatial analysis of metallurgical and other craft activities. In Cao, W. and Rehren, Th. (eds.). Proceedings of International Symposium on Qin Period Metallurgy and its Social and Archaeological Context, 65-76. Beijing: Kexuechubanshe.

Martinón-Torres, M., Li, X. J., Bevan, A. H., Xia, Y., Zhao, K., Rehren, Th. 2014. Making weapons for the First Emperor: archaeometallurgical analyses of bronze weapons from the Terracotta Army. In Cao, W. and Rehren, Th. (eds.). Proceedings of International Symposium on Qin Period Metallurgy and its Social and Archaeological Context, 38-46. Beijing: Kexuechubanshe.

Xia, Y., Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Rehren, Th., Zhao, k., and Zhou T. 2014. An initial analysis of the arrow tangs and swords from the Qin Terracotta Army. In Cao, W. and Rehren, Th. (eds.). Proceedings of International Symposium on Qin Period Metallurgy and its Social and Archaeological Context, 58-64. Beijing: Kexuechubanshe.

Bevan, A., Crema, E., Li, X. and Palmisano, A. 2013. Intensities, interactions and uncertainties: some new approaches to archaeological distributions, in Bevan, A. and Lake, M. (eds.), Computational Approaches to Archaeological Spaces. Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press.

Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Meeks N. and Xia, Y. 2012. Scanning electron microscopy imaging of tool marks on Qin bronze weapons using silicone rubber impressions, in N. Meeks, C. Cartwright, A. Meek and A. Mongiatti (eds.), Historical Technology, Materials and Conservation: SEM and Microanalysis, 62-68. London: Archetype and The British Museum.