Six major archaeological discoveries in 2015

Chinese archeologists also excavated at the No.2 pit of the Museum of Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses since this May. [Photo/Xinhua]

Shen Maosheng, head of the archaeological team which made the discovery said that two wooden sticks, called Qing, were found alongside the crossbow. Qing was thought to help maintain and transport the crossbows thousands of years ago, as noted in ancient records.

"When we dusted off the sticks, we found three holes equidistant from each other and concluded that they were probably used to hang up ropes that fastened the crossbows when they were not in use. It was a great way to keep the arch and string in shape and thus maintain their power in the long run. Besides, Qing was practical to help fix the crossbows during transportation," said Shen.