Below this pit, which is still covered with loess, stands a complete Qin cavalry force.
These are the knights of the Qin state: they are slender, neatly dressed, and their unique leather caps tightly on the lower jaw. Experts found that compared with the early cavalry of the Zhao State, the saddle of the Qin army was much more advanced. Its two ends were slightly warped, and it already had the prototype of a modern saddle. However, one of the most critical findings is that the Qin cavalry still did not have stirrups.
On a horse without stirrups, the knight is helpless and must keep his balance with all his might. The stirrups allow the knight to free his hands to attack the enemy. But how did the Qin cavalry without stirrups fight?
According to archaeological excavations, experts did not find any suitable horseback combat in the cavalry column. The spears and war knives of the Qin Dynasty, but they found long-range weapons such as arrows and crossbows. The Qin cavalry actually used crossbows to fight on horseback. It was indeed a bit unexpected. What was shown in front of people was exactly when the cavalry was in the development stage. image.
It can be believed that on the Changping battlefield, the 5,000 cavalry that went straight to the Zhao army’s base camp could not wield swords like the later cavalry. Gun blasts at the enemy. Their mission is likely to monitor the movements of the Zhao army’s base camp and attack the logistics troops of the Zhao army to transport food and grass.
However, the Qin people are well aware of the importance of cooperation and coordination in combat. Beneath the thick loess, this Qin cavalry force is well-organized in order. They ride in one group of four, three groups and one column, and 108 people in eight columns form a column. Archaeology has confirmed that the Qin cavalry has a very strict organization, which is the earliest cavalry formation in China known so far.
During the Warring States Period, the cavalry had become an indispensable attack force in the Qin army because of its unprecedented speed and mobility. In the Battle of Changping, 5,000 Qin cavalry finally cut off the food route of the Zhao army and played a key role in completely encircling the opponent.