A firearm discovered in Arizona is, according to researchers, the “oldest” ever found in the continental United States.
Excavations along the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona have uncovered a bronze cannon or wall cannon used during the 1539-1542 expedition led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado to the modern-day American Southwest.
The wall cannon is the first ever found in connection with the exhibition, according to research published on November 21, 2024 in the International Journal of Historical Archaeology.
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“This wall cannon is the first weapon known to be associated with the Coronado Expedition and is oldest firearm ever found within the continental US, and may be the oldest cannon currently known on the continent,” wrote Dr. Deni J. Seymour and her colleagues in the study.
The exhibit aimed to uncover the riches of the rumored “Seven Cities of Cíbola,” according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.
A medieval-style bronze pistol was discovered in Arizona. The length of the ancient artifact is 42 inches with a weight of approximately 40 pounds. (Dr. Deni J. Seymour)
Although Coronado did find sights like the Grand Canyon, he did not find the treasure cities and instead encountered Indian settlements, according to Britannica.
The firearm in Arizona was first found in the fall of 2020, near the San Geronimo III settlement. According to the investigation, it was found on the “floor of a Spanish stone and adobe structure.”
A combination of radiocarbon dating and optically stimulated luminescence techniques were used as methods to date the firearm to the era of the Coronado Expedition.
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The firearm is approximately 42 inches long and weighs 40 pounds.
It was likely cast in Mexico or the Caribbean, evidenced by the simplicity of the design, the study said.
The map images above show the general location of the site where the cannon was found. (Dr. Deni J. Seymour)
According to the research, it was designed to be mounted on a wooden tripod, which was used to protect fortifications.
A firearm such as the one discovered could send lead balls flying a distance of 700 yards.
This particular example was found unloaded, with no evidence found that it had ever been fired.
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It was apparently abandoned in the settlement and remained for hundreds of years. A likely reason the weapon was left behind is that the “city was attacked and quickly abandoned,” the investigation suggests.
“This coup de grace appears to be the decisive event that led to the abandonment of the wall cannon, where it remained tightly contained within an eroded Spanish mud-and-rock structure (ruin) for 480 years,” researchers wrote.
When the wall cannon was found, it was placed on the ground of a Spanish structure. (Dr. Deni J. Seymour)
According to the investigation, several other artifacts were discovered at the site, including pieces of broken swords and daggers, plus household items such as fish hooks, clothing fasteners, pieces of copper vessels and more.
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Further analysis is being organized to find out more about the history behind the gun, as well as to study the other artifacts found at the site for future publications.
