Researchers believe the firearm discovered in Arizona is the “oldest” ever found in the continental United States.
Excavations along the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona reveal bronze cannons, or wall guns, used during Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's 1539-1542 expedition into what is now the American Southwest. It became.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Historical Archeology on November 21, 2024, the wall gun is the first in history to be discovered in connection with an exhibition.
9-year-old boy discovers 60,000-year-old ax on Shoreham Beach, England
“This wall gun is the first gun known to be associated with the Coronado Expedition, the oldest gun ever discovered in the continental United States, and probably the oldest gun currently known on the continent. cannon,” wrote Dr. Denis J. Seymour and colleagues. In the study.
According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, the purpose of the exhibit was to uncover the wealth of the rumored “Seven Cities of Cibola.”
A medieval-style bronze gun was discovered in Arizona. The ancient relic measures 42 inches long and weighs approximately 40 pounds. (Dr. Denis J. Seymour)
According to Britannica, Coronado discovered landmarks like the Grand Canyon, but not the Treasure City, instead encountering Indian settlements.
The Arizona firearm was first discovered in the fall of 2020 in the community of San Geronimo III. According to the study, it was found in “the floors of Spanish stone and adobe buildings.”
A combination of radiocarbon dating and optically stimulated luminescence techniques was used as a way to date the firearm back to the era of the Coronado Expedition.
Click here to sign up for our lifestyle newsletter
The firearm is approximately 42 inches long and weighs 40 pounds.
Research suggests it was likely cast in Mexico or the Caribbean, given the simplicity of its design.
The map photo above shows the approximate location of the site where the cannon was discovered. (Dr. Denis J. Seymour)
According to research, it was designed to be attached to a wooden tripod used to protect fortifications.
Firearms like the one found can send lead bullets more than 700 yards.
This particular instance was found unloaded and no evidence of firing was found.
For more lifestyle articles, visit: www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
It appears to have been abandoned in a village for hundreds of years. The study suggests that the gun may have been left behind because “the town was attacked and rapidly abandoned.”
“This final blow appears to have been the decisive event leading to the abandonment of the wall guns, which remained snugly nestled within the eroded Spanish adobe and rock walled structure. [ruin] “It lasted 480 years,” the researchers wrote.
When the wall gun was discovered, it was on the ground of a Spanish structure. (Dr. Denis J. Seymour)
In addition to fragments of broken swords and daggers, several other artifacts were found at the scene, including household items such as fishing hooks, clothing clasps, and fragments of copper containers, according to the investigation.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Further analysis is planned to learn more about the history behind the gun, as well as study other artifacts found at the site for future publications.
