Medieval Sandstone Rare stone cannonball / cannonball...

This is a medieval stone cannonball (also known as a steenkogel). This type of ammunition was intensively used in the Low Countries between 1350 and 1550. They were hand-cut by stonemasons from solid natural stone to be fired with early, heavy siege guns such as bombards, stone mortars, or early mortars. Dimensions: D= 73 mm Weight: 360.21 grams Material: sandstone Find spot: 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 used for the massive bores of early cannons. Design tactic: 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). When impact, the stone often shattered into razor-sharp splinters, causing additional damage. Materials types: Depending on the region, they were carved from local or imported stone varieties such as limestone, trachyte, sandstone, or sometimes even granite cobbles. Shipping method: this lot will be shipped in excellent packaging via DHL or UPS using Catawiki's Smart Shipping.

Estimate:£150.76

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