China is expanding the ranks of its famed Terracotta Army with new excavations expected to yield hundreds more of the life-size figures.

The museum overseeing the vast mausoleum of China's first emperor said it began work on March 30 on the tomb's No 2 pit which is smaller in scale but believed to be richer in archaeological value than the already excavated No 1 pit.

It said that, along with 1,400 warrior and horse statues, the pit is believed to contain 89 chariots and 116 mounted soldiers, offering invaluable insights into the military culture of the Qin dynasty.

The army was built to guard the tomb of the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who died in 210 AD after conquering much of what is now modern China.