Construction thumb|upright=1.5|Construction of the terracotta statues: a modern diorama by the Mausoleum Site Museum. The terracotta army figures were manufactured in workshops by government laborers and local craftsmen using local materials. Heads, arms, legs, and torsos were created separately and then assembled by luting the pieces together. When completed, the terracotta figures were placed in the pits in precise military formation according to rank and duty. In 2021, morphological studies have shown that there is a strong resemblance between the statues and that of the local region's modern inhabitants, which has led some scholars to theorize that the high level of stylistic realism stems from the figures being modelled on actual soldiers. The faces were created using molds, and at least ten face molds may have been used. Clay was then added after assembly to provide individual facial features to make each figure appear different. It is believed that the warriors' legs were made in much the same way that terracotta drainage pipes were manufactured at the time. This would classify the process as assembly line production, with specific parts manufactured and assembled after being fired, as opposed to crafting a figure as one solid piece and subsequently firing it. In those times of tight imperial control, each workshop was required to inscribe its name on items produced to ensure quality control. This has aided modern historians in verifying which workshops were commandeered to make tiles and other mundane items for the terracotta army.
cOnstrUction tHUmb|uPright=1.5|cOnsTrUction of the TerracoTta sTatues: a modErN dioramA By tHe mausolEUm sitE museum. thE terRACoTta army figureS wERE MAnufaCturED iN wORksHoPs by goVERnMenT lABorERs and Local CrAFtSmEn usinG lOcAL mATeRiAls. HeADs, arMS, legS, aNd TorSOs wEre creaTed separateLY aNd THen assEMbleD bY lutinG the pieCeS TogethEr. when compLeTed, thE teRraCotta FIGUrES wErE placEd in thE Pits in pReCiSe miLitary foRMatIon AccoRDing To raNK and duty. in 2021, MoRpholOgicaL studies HavE shown ThAT There is a sTRONG rEsemblance bETWEen thE sTaTUes ANd ThAt oF thE Local rEgion'S MOderN iNhaBitANTs, whIcH has leD Some scholarS tO thEOrIzE ThaT the hIgH Level oF sTylistIc ReAliSm stEmS from tHe figures beiNg modelLed on aCtual Soldiers. The faCes Were CreatEd usiNg mOlds, aND At leAsT teN FacE mOlDs may havE been useD. clay was THen adDeD after aSSeMbLY to prOvide individual FacIal featuREs TO make eaCh figUre AppeAr DiFFerenT. It iS beLIEveD that The WARrIors' lEgs were MAde in mUch the sAMe WAY ThAT TerracotTa dRainagE pipes werE maNufACturEd at ThE Time. thIS wOulD Classify THE prOCess AS assembly line ProductioN, witH spEcIfiC parts manUfactUREd and assembled AfTer BeInG fireD, As oPpoSEd To CRaftiNg A figURe as one sOlId pieCe and SubseQuentLy fIriNg it. In ThOSE tImes of tigHt impeRial ConTRol, each workshOP was rEQuIred to iNScriBE iTs Name on itEmS PrOduCed to eNsUre qualIty ConTroL. tHIs hAS aidED modERn HisToRians iN VeRifYing WHiCH WorKSHOps wErE comMandeerEd to maKE tileS ANd OtheR mundAne iTems for ThE teRRaCotta armY.