Ancient Ming dynasty stone grenades found near Great Wall of China
Stone grenades
Archaeologists have made a discovery near the Great Wall of China, unearthing stone grenades dating back 400 years to the Ming dynasty. These stone grenades were discovered in a building believed to have served as a storage site. They provide an intriguing historical glimpse into the era of the Ming dynasty, which ruled China from 1368 to 1644.
The discovery took place near the Badaling Great Wall, a section constructed during the Ming Dynasty, approximately 80 kilometresnorthwest of Beijing.
In the ruins of a storehouse, a total of 59 stone grenades were found. While visual representations of these objects are yet to be released, it is anticipated that they resemble hand-held thunder-crash bombs made from pottery shells, a prevalent type of weapon during that era in China.
Distinctive features
These ancient stone hand grenades found near Badaling exhibit a unique central opening designed for loading gunpowder.
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According to reports from Xinhua, they bear a resemblance to the stone grenades commonly used by guards stationed along the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty. When these grenades were loaded with gunpowder, they could be sealed, thrown, and had the potential to both hit the enemy and explode.
This discovery is significant as it marks the first known instance of such a cache of weapons being found along the Great Wall.
Historical significance of gunpowder
Gunpowder is believed to have originated in China during the 900s. By the time of the Ming dynasty, a diverse array of gunpowder weapons was already in use in East Asia, featuring explosives with names like flying rats, fire bricks, caltrop fireballs, and flying sand magic bombs.
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The Great Wall of China, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an extensive network of defensive fortifications stretching thousands of miles in modern-day northern China and southern Mongolia. It has been a symbol of China's historical significance and defensive strategies throughout the centuries.
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