Dundee Beach Swivel Gun
The Dundee Beach Gun - bronze, breech-loading swivel gun
In 2010, schoolboy Christopher Doukas was walking Dundee Beach at low tide with his family. Below the highwater mark he noticed a green, circular object protruding from the mud. Wrenching it free revealed what they took to be a piece of plumbing - corroded, full of mud and sand so quite heavy and they were some distance from home. Had it not been for Christopher's father, Vas, being a big man - they would have left it there but it was safely transported to their holiday home where a kiss from an angle grinder revealed shiny copper but not plumbers brass - gun founder's bronze.
Dundee Beach stitched panorama M. Owen 2018.
PastMasters Analysis
PastMaster Dr Matt Cupper, at his laboratory in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne, has overseen the lead isotope assessment of a fragment of metal, taken with the owner's permission, from within the bore of the gun during the OSL dating process.
The sample was compared to some 2000 ore samples from the Mediterranean zone (Algeria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Sardinia, Spain, Turkey). It seems to correspond closest to a couple of samples from the Coto Laízquez mine (2°14'49.79" W, 36°59'12.24" N) near Huebro in Andalusia (see map below).
The diagnostic weight of the findings falls in favour of the European origin of the gun - beyond that a great many permutations of ownership and deposition are possible. If Matt Cupper & his team were able to perform similar OSL & Isotopic signature testing upon the guns from the Ternate Wreck then we could begin to establish a foundation for systematic archaeology & analysis. The incidence of wreck discoveries in SE Asian waters is growing exponentially and careful management is required to preserve the evidence for analysis. Identification of sample data from known Portuguese guns would create an invaluable resource for future archaeometric analysis. Matt will be presenting his findings at a national conference on Tropical Archaeology in Cairns later in the year.
Tin isotopic signature analysis holds some promise of further unravelling the mysterious origins of this artefact. Matt's colleagues at Melbourne University also ran a variety of other tests & procedures including 3D mapping which produced the extraordinary scalable swivelling presentation on a Pdf file 3D Scan Doukas Dundee Gun see button link below. The following images of the Coto Laizques Mine & Huebro are courtesy of Matt Cupper.
The sample was compared to some 2000 ore samples from the Mediterranean zone (Algeria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Sardinia, Spain, Turkey). It seems to correspond closest to a couple of samples from the Coto Laízquez mine (2°14'49.79" W, 36°59'12.24" N) near Huebro in Andalusia (see map below).
The diagnostic weight of the findings falls in favour of the European origin of the gun - beyond that a great many permutations of ownership and deposition are possible. If Matt Cupper & his team were able to perform similar OSL & Isotopic signature testing upon the guns from the Ternate Wreck then we could begin to establish a foundation for systematic archaeology & analysis. The incidence of wreck discoveries in SE Asian waters is growing exponentially and careful management is required to preserve the evidence for analysis. Identification of sample data from known Portuguese guns would create an invaluable resource for future archaeometric analysis. Matt will be presenting his findings at a national conference on Tropical Archaeology in Cairns later in the year.
Tin isotopic signature analysis holds some promise of further unravelling the mysterious origins of this artefact. Matt's colleagues at Melbourne University also ran a variety of other tests & procedures including 3D mapping which produced the extraordinary scalable swivelling presentation on a Pdf file 3D Scan Doukas Dundee Gun see button link below. The following images of the Coto Laizques Mine & Huebro are courtesy of Matt Cupper.
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The Coto Laizques Mine
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Google Earth image of Huebro in Spain adjacent to the location of the mine that is a likely source of the lead in the bronze of the Dundee Swivel Gun.
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Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Main ground floor gallery display of swivel guns - two from the MAGNT collection of SE Asian muzzle loaders & the Doukas Dundee gun which is a breach loader.
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The lower gun was found by Christopher Doukas.
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Dundee Gun CT Scan
The CT Scan sought to identify iron chaplets in addition to the one between the breech and the 1st reinforce ring before the trunnions. Unfortunately, this was not successful despite going well past the stops and testing all of options & combinations. These are extraordinary machines but in scanning humans they barely get out of 1st gear & little is known of their full potential. The point cloud will enable a single 3D print to be made, at full scale, with a bespoke Thunder Mug, tiller, chain & locking drift.
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The Dundee Gun Breech & Trunnions scan
The Chain Loop
It is useful to know that the loop is part of the original casting and has remained intact. It would appear from a mid-line discolouration that the gun has lain flat in the mud with the lower portion most heavily corroded - i.e. subject to leaching of copper, in the warm saline, anerobic, aluminium mud. The drift hole is blocked by shell and sand so appears as parallel slots. It appears that upright casting is most likely as it is easier, safer and gravity ensures higher density of bronze where it is most needed at the breech. it may also explain the worn trunnions.
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The Breech
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The breech is particularly diagnostic. Being largely a product of the functional constraints of a gun in a hostile environment - there are small aspects of design in the bulb of the cascabel, the waist of the breech - the slight crest on the forward arch - the size of the drainage slot etc which show perhaps signature variations within the basic scheme. The need to reinforce the base of the breech and adjust the slot to retain balance through models of varying calibre and barrel length. The rings, decline and bulge of the cascabel - the stages of the reinforcing rings & plumpness of the muzzle likewise conform to a basic design but could be diagnostic of origin. To pick the overlap of function & design we have to appreciate the needs of the bronze gun founder - the constraints of the fabric - shortcomings of the casting process and the cascade of corrosion in anaerobic, aluminium rich mud, in a warm tropical sea.
Three sections of the Dundee Gun
The Trunnions
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The trunnions & rear sight are set between two reinforcing rings forward of the breach - the tip of a chaplet may be just visible in the lower centre image. One trunnion is badly eroded perhaps, through submersion in the mud layer as it seems too even to be wear. The other has a dark ring of differing density possibly suggestive of a repair - if such was then possible. Often, on smaller swivel guns, an iron yoke was forged onto the trunnions and the constant movement of the ship would exacerbate wear - they had to be loose fitting to prevent corrosive seizing.
The Bore & The Muzzle
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If the iron core was supported by bronze chaplets - these would be indistinguishable in the CT scan from the casting into which they melted. It is not apparent how an iron chaplet would add anything to the process beyond that offered by a bronze chaplet. The amount of power needed to create these images may be responsible for a loss of fine detail such as the sand & detritus remaining in the bore.
The Bali Museum Gun
There is an imperative for the highest quality and precision of casting of breechloading weapons. If anyone has knowledge of the processes & history of bronze casting in SE Asia please make contact.
The similarity of this piece with the Dundee Gun was first noticed by Paul Clark (MAGNT) whose report is below. The visit in December 2024 was primarily to ascertain whether iron chaplets had also been used in casting the Bali Gun. A strong magnet was not able to detect any chaplets - although this may be due to the bronze fabric covering them to depth. The most surprising aspect is the size of this artillery piece compared to the Dundee gun. Secondly, the state of preservation is extraordinary despite being on a concrete block in the tropics. There are minor cuts and abrasions on the barrel but all are consistent with the patination.
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The assistance of a member of the Museum staff was much appreciated - it solved a mystery for them as nobody had come up with a sensible idea for how the gun worked & without the powder mug it is not obvious. Denpasar is a Sister City of Darwin and there's a opportunity to built relationships with somewhere so close and accessible that is rooted in the history of SE Asia.
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The iron tiller, though heavily corroded, has survived - whilst sea submersion has cleanly removed the one from the Dundee Gun - although it may have been of timber & removable as the receiver in the cascabel is squared off. The breech cavity shows little signs of wear or weathering. The breech edges are crisp and the cushion of the backsight is clearly defined. Like the Dundee gun there is no foresight but the Bali Gun retains sharp ornamentation on the muzzle face which would help to strengthen and protect the bore. There is no chain retaining loop on the base of the breech of the Bali Gun, which is surprising, as the iron drift is essential and perhaps bespoke.
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Regrettably there is no provenance with the Bali Gun - nor is there a powder chamber. It is not known whether the gun was in situ when the kingdom of Bali was invaded by the Dutch and the Palace destroyed in 1906. It was the site of one of the largest Puputan ritual mass suicides involving many hundreds of warriors as well as women and children in the face of murderous Dutch gunfire. The unimaginable slaughter was followed by looting of the corpses and sacking of the palace which was left a ruin - to later be rebuilt as the Bali Museum.
The Lisbon Gun - Rainer Daehnhardt's Farm
Professor Rainer Daehnhardt is an historian of Prussian extraction who lives in Portugal. Aged 83, he is a highly respected authority, collector and writer of >60 books on Portuguese history. He reportedly owns a shop or gallery, presumably of antiquities and militaria, somewhere in the western Lisbon suburb of Cascais. The gun shown below is from his private collection and has similarities with the Bali Museum & Dundee beach Guns. It is anticipated that he would be able to hazard an estimate of the age & origin of the weapon - at least on stylistic grounds.
The similarities with the Bali Museum Gun appear to be significant and they would welcome any information - they also lack a powder chamber which would help to explain how these guns function. Without an example or internet research facilities, in Bahasa Indonesian, it is a struggle for them.
Comparison of the Dundee, Bali and Lisbon Guns
The best match that we have found for the Dundee Gun is the Bali Gun - there are similarities despite the Bali gun being much larger [~x2).
However, the Bali Gun appears to be all but identical to the Lisbon Gun which appears to be longer and a lower calibre.
In contrast to the ornate but chunky Asian guns - the Dundee, Bali & Lisbon pieces seem to have a more gracile feel - rather from the tradition of the sporting shotgun than the murderous deck-sweepers of the East.
However, the Bali Gun appears to be all but identical to the Lisbon Gun which appears to be longer and a lower calibre.
In contrast to the ornate but chunky Asian guns - the Dundee, Bali & Lisbon pieces seem to have a more gracile feel - rather from the tradition of the sporting shotgun than the murderous deck-sweepers of the East.
Portuguese c1540
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This early breech-loader is fully described by the BM [see link & notes below] One of 4 acquired at Benin City Nigeria 1899
The functional elements are well established - the breech is the same tapering bottle shaped and the upper edges stepped in the same way before rising above the locking drift. The slot is short, it would allow for drainage, expansion & access when the chamber failed to willingly eject. Presumably also cast vertically in a pit - the presence/absence of chaplets is unknown. Despite being 163cm long, without the tiller, there is single reinforcing ring just behind the plump muzzle. |
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Portuguese c1540 Breech-Loading Bronze Swivel Gun by founder Francisco Alvares, Lisbon - British Museum Af1899,0610.1
Description
"Breech-loading cannon or swivel gun; cast in one piece in bronze. Includes integral powder chamber holder and trunnions. Breech chamber is missing. Muzzle has simple decorative mouldings; barrel bears in low relief the royal arms of Portugal, an armillary sphere badge, and a cipher with the name of the Portuguese founder. Cross-shaped mark on upper face of back of chamber holder."
"Breech-loading cannon or swivel gun; cast in one piece in bronze. Includes integral powder chamber holder and trunnions. Breech chamber is missing. Muzzle has simple decorative mouldings; barrel bears in low relief the royal arms of Portugal, an armillary sphere badge, and a cipher with the name of the Portuguese founder. Cross-shaped mark on upper face of back of chamber holder."
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Curator's comments
"This breech-loading cannon bears the royal arms of Portugal and the device of the armillary sphere which was granted to future King Manuel I of Portugal in 1483 in anticipation of conquests in Africa and Asia during his reign (1495-1523). However, this badge was used on a range of artillery dating up to the 16th century.
The metal has been analysed at the British Museum and though not conclusive this indicated a likely Portuguese origin, compared with ingots from the wreck of the St Anthony which sank in 1527 on its way from Antwerp to Lisbon. Not typical Benin composition.
Similar guns found in Portuguese wrecks off Seychelles and South Africa. Thought that this gun would have been used or traded by the Portuguese in West Africa or wrecked there, hence its provenance."
"This breech-loading cannon bears the royal arms of Portugal and the device of the armillary sphere which was granted to future King Manuel I of Portugal in 1483 in anticipation of conquests in Africa and Asia during his reign (1495-1523). However, this badge was used on a range of artillery dating up to the 16th century.
The metal has been analysed at the British Museum and though not conclusive this indicated a likely Portuguese origin, compared with ingots from the wreck of the St Anthony which sank in 1527 on its way from Antwerp to Lisbon. Not typical Benin composition.
Similar guns found in Portuguese wrecks off Seychelles and South Africa. Thought that this gun would have been used or traded by the Portuguese in West Africa or wrecked there, hence its provenance."
Dundee Beach etc
The water source behind Dundee Beach impounded by blue porcelain clay - a magnet for mariners through the long days of sail.
The Wreck of the Esmeralda
'Nineteen copper-alloy breech chambers, known by the Portuguese as a câmara, were found within the confines of the main concretion. This is quite possibly the largest number of bronze breech-chambers ever recovered from a single shipwreck and thus provides the basis for an interesting comparative study about their use on an early 16th century warship. These removable and reusable blocks are used to fire breech-loading swivel-guns such as a berço. The recovered chambers were similar in size, c.305 mm long, c.45 mm internal bore, and design. Each has a rectangular cast handle, a touch-hole that was originally teardrop shaped, a spur at the base for locking the chamber in place by a wedge, and a tapered neck with the chamber-mouth sealed with a wooden tampion. As many of the recovered breeches have tampions sealed tightly in place, gunpowder may still be found within the chamber when they are more fully examined in the future.
These munitions included 35 lead shot (13mm) that match the calibre of the hand-held firearms described above; 728 lead-iron composite shot, which vary from 23-62mm in diameter and correlate in size with the bronze breech blocks; 71 iron shot c.94mm in diameter; and 156 stone shot ranging from 40 to 220mm with peaks at 90, 100, 120 and 220mm.' Source Mearns et al International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 2016 - full article below.
These finds demonstrate arms manufacture to tolerances previously refuted - the style of the mugs matches the breech cavity of the Dundee gun & production of a blank that can be compared to the Esmeralda mugs may show standardisation of weapons at a date much earlier than hitherto thought.
These munitions included 35 lead shot (13mm) that match the calibre of the hand-held firearms described above; 728 lead-iron composite shot, which vary from 23-62mm in diameter and correlate in size with the bronze breech blocks; 71 iron shot c.94mm in diameter; and 156 stone shot ranging from 40 to 220mm with peaks at 90, 100, 120 and 220mm.' Source Mearns et al International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 2016 - full article below.
These finds demonstrate arms manufacture to tolerances previously refuted - the style of the mugs matches the breech cavity of the Dundee gun & production of a blank that can be compared to the Esmeralda mugs may show standardisation of weapons at a date much earlier than hitherto thought.
The Cetbang
This information comes from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam - the object having been transferred from the Department of the Navy in 1883. No other provenance except that it is of SE Asian origin and acquired between c1750 & 1850. There are strong similarities between this piece and the Bali/Dundee guns. They note that the mouth of the powder mug is smaller than the bore so that the ball must be inserted at the muzzle. Perhaps a charge of shot could have been in the mug or as canister. There are reports of crushed shell and beach gravel having a profound effect at close range. The manner & cast of the breech, as well as the positioning of the reinforcing rings & step to the cascabel are all diagnostic of type but less helpful with date. The cushion of the rear sight is topped by a striking snake which is nice touch.
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The Cetbang (also known as bedil, warastra, or coak) was a type of cannon produced and used by the Majapahit Empire (1293–1527) and other kingdoms in the Indonesian archipelago. The cetbang is a breech-loading cannon, it is different from typical European and Middle Eastern cannons, which are usually muzzleloader. In the Sekar inscription it states that the main production foundries of cetbang were in Rajekwesi, Bojonegoro, whereas the black powder was produced in Swatantra Biluluk (Lamongan).[1][2] Several examples survive and are exhibited as tourist attractions or in museums.
Cetbang was originally called a bedil.[3][4] It is also called a warastra.[5]:246 In Java, the term for cannon is called bedil,[6] but this term may refer to various type of firearms and gunpowder weapon, from small matchlock pistol to large siege guns. The term bedil comes from wedil (or wediyal) and wediluppu (or wediyuppu) in Tamil language.[7] In its original form, these words refer to gunpowder blast and saltpeter, respectively. But after being absorbed into bedil in Malay language, and in a number of other cultures in the archipelago, that Tamil vocabulary is used to refer to all types of weapons that use gunpowder. In Javanese and Balinese the term bedil and bedhil is known, in Sundanese the term is bedil, in Batak it is known as bodil, in Makasarese, badili, in Buginese, balili, in Dayak language, badil, in Tagalog, baril, in Bisayan, bádil, in Bikol languages, badil, and Malay people call it badel or bedil.[7][8][9] The term "meriam coak" is from the Betawi language, it means "hollow cannon", referring to the breech.[10] It is also simply referred to as coak.[11]
Early cetbang is made from bronze, and is a breech-loaded weapon. In the 16th century, iron is also used.[11][12] The size of cetbang used by the Majapahit navy varied from one to three meters in length. The three-meter-long cetbang was usually used by the larger ships in the Majapahit navy (see Djong). However, most of these guns had small bores (30 to 60 mm). They are light, mobile cannons, most of them can be carried and shot by one man.[13] These gun are mounted on swivel yoke (called cagak), the spike is fitted into holes or sockets in the bulwarks of a ship or the ramparts of a fort.[14] A tiller of wood is inserted to the back of the cannon with rattan, to enable it to be trained and aimed.[13]
Cetbang can be mounted as fixed gun, swivel gun, or placed in a wheelled carriage. Small sized cetbang can be easily installed on small vessels called Penjajap (Portuguese: Pangajaua or Pangajava) and Lancaran. This gun is used as an anti-personnel weapon, not anti-ship. In this age, even to the 17th century, the Nusantaran soldiers fought on a platform called Balai (see picture of ship below) and perform boarding actions. Loaded with scattershots (grapeshot, case shot, or nails and stones) and fired at close range, the cetbang is very effective at this type of fighting.[5]:241[15]
Cetbang was originally called a bedil.[3][4] It is also called a warastra.[5]:246 In Java, the term for cannon is called bedil,[6] but this term may refer to various type of firearms and gunpowder weapon, from small matchlock pistol to large siege guns. The term bedil comes from wedil (or wediyal) and wediluppu (or wediyuppu) in Tamil language.[7] In its original form, these words refer to gunpowder blast and saltpeter, respectively. But after being absorbed into bedil in Malay language, and in a number of other cultures in the archipelago, that Tamil vocabulary is used to refer to all types of weapons that use gunpowder. In Javanese and Balinese the term bedil and bedhil is known, in Sundanese the term is bedil, in Batak it is known as bodil, in Makasarese, badili, in Buginese, balili, in Dayak language, badil, in Tagalog, baril, in Bisayan, bádil, in Bikol languages, badil, and Malay people call it badel or bedil.[7][8][9] The term "meriam coak" is from the Betawi language, it means "hollow cannon", referring to the breech.[10] It is also simply referred to as coak.[11]
Early cetbang is made from bronze, and is a breech-loaded weapon. In the 16th century, iron is also used.[11][12] The size of cetbang used by the Majapahit navy varied from one to three meters in length. The three-meter-long cetbang was usually used by the larger ships in the Majapahit navy (see Djong). However, most of these guns had small bores (30 to 60 mm). They are light, mobile cannons, most of them can be carried and shot by one man.[13] These gun are mounted on swivel yoke (called cagak), the spike is fitted into holes or sockets in the bulwarks of a ship or the ramparts of a fort.[14] A tiller of wood is inserted to the back of the cannon with rattan, to enable it to be trained and aimed.[13]
Cetbang can be mounted as fixed gun, swivel gun, or placed in a wheelled carriage. Small sized cetbang can be easily installed on small vessels called Penjajap (Portuguese: Pangajaua or Pangajava) and Lancaran. This gun is used as an anti-personnel weapon, not anti-ship. In this age, even to the 17th century, the Nusantaran soldiers fought on a platform called Balai (see picture of ship below) and perform boarding actions. Loaded with scattershots (grapeshot, case shot, or nails and stones) and fired at close range, the cetbang is very effective at this type of fighting.[5]:241[15]
Resources
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| cetbang_cannon_viz_dundee_gun.docx |
Odds & Ends
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“exploded” view of one of the swivel guns from the wreck, showing all its associated parts including swivel, swivel “saddle,” breech chamber, breech wedge, projectile, and textile “gasket”. Source unknown
A Rainer Daehnhardt swivel gun with powder mug in the breech, drift & chain but no tiller. Rear sight ~Striking Cobra type.
'Absence of Proof is Not Proof of Absence' - Grasshopper
