A cultural shift

It might be the case that this warrior was selected for his friendly gesture, as he looks like he's about to shake hands. He will also be escorted by three soldiers and a horse-drawn chariot from the mausoleum for this trip to Riyadh.

"This (display) will be the most number of Terracotta Warriors that we have ever agreed to send abroad for a comprehensive exhibition," Xu adds.

Another highlight will be a jade outfit sewn with gold threads. Burial suits like these were used exclusively for emperors and their closest kin during the Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220). It was unearthed from a Han vassal king's tomb in today's Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.