Conquistador's cannon: Archaeologists have discovered the oldest firearm in the United States.
American researchers have discovered a bronze cannon in Arizona, which has been identified as the oldest firearm on the continental United States. This was reported by Popular Science, as noted by UNN.
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Scientists believe that the oldest firearm found once 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 along with 350 soldiers, the conquistador sought to find the legendary seven cities of gold, which were said to be fabulously wealthy but did not actually exist. Instead of searching for riches, Coronado and his men spent three years pillaging, enslaving, and killing the indigenous populations of the region.
During the exploration of the ruins of a stone structure in the Santa Cruz Valley, researchers uncovered a bronze cannon, as well as an olive jar, shards of glass, European pottery, and weapon fragments. The bronze cannon weighed over 18 kilograms. It was designed for defense and was typically mounted on a wooden base atop fortification walls. Due to its considerable size, the cannon required the assistance of two soldiers for operation.
Moreover, scientists determined that the "wall gun" featured standard casting, unlike the more elaborate Spanish cannons. This characteristic suggests that the weapon was manufactured in Mexico or the Caribbean.