“Cannon of the conquistadors: archaeologists discovered the oldest firearm in the United StatesA bronze cannon of the 16th century that belonged to the conquistador Vasquez de Coronado was discovered in Arizona. The 18 kg find is the oldest firearm in the continental United States.”, — write on: unn.ua
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Scientists believe that the oldest firearm found previously belonged to the infamous conquistador Vasquez de Coronado. In 1539, the Spaniard mortgaged his wife’s property to finance an expedition to North America.
It is noted that together with 350 soldiers, the conquistador tried to find the legendary, supposedly fabulously rich Seven Golden Cities, which in fact did not exist. Instead of seeking riches, Coronado and his men spent three years plundering, enslaving and killing the local indigenous population of the region.
During the study of the ruins of a stone structure in the Santa Cruz Valley, scientists discovered a bronze cannon, as well as an olive jar, glass fragments, European pottery and parts of weapons. The bronze cannon weighed more than 18 kilograms. The product was intended for defense, it was usually installed on a wooden base on fortification walls. Due to the large size of the gun, it could be used with the participation of two soldiers.
The scientists also found out that the “wall gun” had an ordinary casting, in contrast to the more sophisticated guns of Spanish production. This feature indicates that the weapon was designed in Mexico or the Caribbean.
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