I ran this GQ thread back in 2004 asking why the tomb of China’s First Emperor had not been excavated (it still has not been excavated, though there has been much excavation of the land all around the tomb-hill).
I did not realize at the time that the tomb was looted after the Emperor’s death, and more than once.
So, is there even anything left to dig for? Even the Emperor’s body?
Probably a whole lot of postings…
I had vaguely heard of the first instance of pillage/destruction, but not of the others. I also didn’t know that the first instance was so complete.
Nevertheless, I decided to ignore this information and keep dreaming of the marvelous contents of this tomb. 
Which won’t be opened in my lifetime anyway, if I go with China’s official statements.
You should refrain from posting such depressing pieces of info.
I recall an issue of National Geographic from the 1970s about the recently unearthed Terracotta Army. The descriptions (drawn from ancient Chinese sources) of the actual inside of the mausoleum (including a model palace, a map of the Empire with mercury for the rivers, the crossbow-deathtraps for tomb-robbers, etc.) were so wonderful that I’ve been waiting ever since for something like the “Treasures of Tutankamen” tour. 
Me too. I guess we have about the same age (I’m 48).
The discarded corpse of Curtis LeMay?
As someone every bit as wise as me once said, “Tests of soil samples from his mound have shown there to be 70 to 1500 PPB of mercury, a range from ‘not much’ to ‘a fair amount.’ It doesn’t sound like tons of mercury have leached into the soil but the site does seem to be contaminated. I’ll let some other saps breathe mercury-filled dust halfway around the world as they try to prove me wrong.”
Were ancient tombs really booby-trapped? - The Straight Dope
Well, yeah, but that just proves the story about the mercury-rivers might be true, not that there’s anything left of them in the tomb.
Maybe they’ll prove Qin Shih Huangdi died of polonium poisoning.
Yet another Doper who died too soon!
The fact is that most readily-identifiable tombs were looted, usually very soon after they were created.
Tut’s tomb escaped because of its relative obscurity - it was buried under debris from someone elses’ tomb - and even then, looters did break in before it was covered up.
Something as grand as the first emperor’s tomb was always almost certain to be looted.
Only the good die young.
The fact that he is posting here 2223 years after his death means we could find one hell of a WiFi setup in there.
or Google Fiber.
Certainly. However, as with the Terracotta Army, there is going to be a lot that robbers just wouldn’t be interested in taking. Just the architecture of the tomb itself is going to be fascinating, even if it was burned, and is going to be a wonderful discovery. I only hope I’m alive still when they finally start excavation…it’s something that captured my imagination in the 70’s when a story about it came out and has been something I’ve thought a lot about since then. If I can live long enough for this and for someone to finally make it to Mars I’ll die happy. 
Non-serious answer: a friggin’ huge picture of Admiral Chester Nimitz.
Serious answer: the existence of the Illuminati will be confirmed because Qin Shi Huang’s tomb will have EXACTLY the same contents as Al Capone’s vault! Coincidence? I think NOT!
Wouldn’t surprise me. By the end of his life he was gulping all kinds of purported immortality drugs. Taoist potions poisoned more than one emperor.
If the person who makes it to Mars finds Qin Shih Huangdi’s tomb there, I will die confused.
But yeah, there are already wonderful finds - the terracotta army. Hopefully, there will be stuff left behind as not valuable. Maybe if we are realy lucky, a side-tomb of one of his nobles will prove to be overlooked and unlooted - it’s possible.
The best possible reply. I salute you.
What? It’s obvious Chinese come from Mars. Look at the facts: Mars needs women. China needs women. Q.E.D.