Medieval Granite Rare stone ball / cannonball - Rare...

The shown object is a medieval stone cannonball (also called a stone shot). This type of ammunition was intensively used in the Low Countries between 1350 and 1550. They were manually carved by stonemasons from solid natural stone to be fired with early, heavy siege cannons such as bombard mortars, stone mortars, or early mortars. Dimensions: Ø = 76 mm Weight: 662 grams Material: granite Provenance: Netherlands Condition: intact Production: Before the invention of efficient cast-iron techniques in the late 15th century, natural stone was the only material large enough to be made for the enormous bores of early cannons. Tactical note: Stone balls were lighter than iron, allowing them to be fired over city wall barriers with relatively little gunpowder (which at the time was still very expensive and weak). On impact, the stone often fractured into razor-sharp shards, causing additional damage. Types of material: Depending on the region, they were carved from local or imported stone varieties such as limestone, quartzite, sandstone, or sometimes even granite erratic stones. Shipping method: this lot is excellently packed and shipped via DHL or UPS using Catawiki’s smart shipping.

Estimate:£151.77

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