Medieval ordnance

**kyle** · 04-03-2011, 11:35 PM

Maybe someone can help me identify a few ordnance pieces I own. They might be a little older than what most people here are used to on here

1st is a stone cannonball I found while snorkeling here in Malta. Was wondering if someone can shed some light as to what cannon it came from and possible age. Would also like to know if it was used on land or for naval warfare. I believe it to be from the era of the Knights of St John circa 1500. It weighs around 2kg and has a circumference of around 40cm.

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Second item I am unsure if it is musket shot or mini ball shrapnel. It has a diameter of 18m. This was also found close by to a building used by the order of St John.

Third and last item is an other "musket shot" only much larger. This has a diameter of 41mm.

I would be very grateful if anyone can shed some light on any of the above mentioned items.

Regards
Kyle

**lithgow** · 04-04-2011, 11:19 AM

Hello[-the stone cannon ball is most likely from the Turkish 'Great Siege' period in the 15th century-not a naval round but commonly used in siege warfare as they were cheaper and could more easily be turned out on the spot than iron or bronze projectiles. The others could date from any period after till the mid 19th century-not a great deal of development in the field for a long time!

**kyle** · 04-04-2011, 04:31 PM

Thanks for the input lithgow, how can one tell if it is actually Turkish or not? and any idea on the weapons that made use of these projectiles?

**Tony R** · 12-03-2013, 09:26 AM

Just saw your contribution Kyle. Did you find these items in either Mistra Bay or Salina Bay?

**kyle** · 12-03-2013, 09:40 AM

Hi Tony,

Actually no I found the cannonball in Anchor Bay. Have you ever found such cannonballs in Mistra or Salina?

**Tony R** · 12-03-2013, 11:14 AM

Anchor Bay? Interesting. In Mistra Bay a number of musket balls were recovered from the same place, which leads me to think they may once have been contained in some sort of pouch. Is it too fanciful to imagine the original owner may have been a Turk attempting to evacuate at the end of the Siege of Malta? What is almost certainly a cannonball (similar to yours) was found in the shallows at Salina Bay.