A bombard for ... religious celebrations

fernando · 23rd September 2011, 08:07 PM

Hi Jim,
While Michl doesn't come in, asssuming he will

, let me post a few notes i gathered on these things.
It appears that these pots were used for a zillion purposes; gunpowder testers, celebration mortars, signaling devices, whether to guide sailors through fog, saluting when entering ports, signaling manoeuvers when in battle, trap setups to blast the enemy when assaulting fortification gates, noise makers to cause impression ... you name it.
In the chapter of signaling, i beleive these were alternated with actual cannons ... in the beginning, actual ordnance ones and later miniature ones.
Just 'en passant', Vasco da Gama during the discoveries period used the following code: one cannon shot for continuing ahead, two for turning, three for hoisting the "moneta", an apendix sail to increase the speed and four shots for slowing down. But i am digressing here

.
You might as well be on the right track about the Christian crosses on this example, but my view is distinct . I think the crosses are there basically to identify the mortar as Church property, admittedly seconded by the ever present spiritual touch, and that it was kept for using in religious festivities and not for belligerent purposes. Such is also the conviction of the (French) seller.
Now, let us see what Michl thinks of all this ... as well as other forumites, naturally.
Here attached, the picture of a most interesting cannon trap, used in (French) citadel gates during the XVIII century.

.

Jim McDougall · 23rd September 2011, 09:58 PM

Thanks Fernando, I hope he will too.
Good stuff on the signalling protocol, and thanks for posting this interesting door trap. Here Bond fans thought M1 was the first innovator on these clandestine weapons.
Do you remember the grave robber guns? Traps set with loaded guns to prevent grave robbing., Weird.

All the best,
Jim

rickystl · 23rd September 2011, 10:45 PM

Hi Fernando! Great find!!! Now that is really cool. The priming pan and crosses make it really intriging. What Century would you guess, 16th or 17th ? Rick.

23rd September 2011, 08:07 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Jim, While Michl doesn't come in, asssuming he will , let me post a few notes i gathered on these things. It appears that these pots were used for a zillion purposes; gunpowder testers, celebration mortars, signaling devices, whether to guide sailors through fog, saluting when entering ports, signaling manoeuvers when in battle, trap setups to blast the enemy when assaulting fortification gates, noise makers to cause impression ... you name it. In the chapter of signaling, i beleive these were alternated with actual cannons ... in the beginning, actual ordnance ones and later miniature ones. Just 'en passant', Vasco da Gama during the discoveries period used the following code: one cannon shot for continuing ahead, two for turning, three for hoisting the "moneta", an apendix sail to increase the speed and four shots for slowing down. But i am digressing here . You might as well be on the right track about the Christian crosses on this example, but my view is distinct . I think the crosses are there basically to identify the mortar as Church property, admittedly seconded by the ever present spiritual touch, and that it was kept for using in religious festivities and not for belligerent purposes. Such is also the conviction of the (French) seller. Now, let us see what Michl thinks of all this ... as well as other forumites, naturally. Here attached, the picture of a most interesting cannon trap, used in (French) citadel gates during the XVIII century. . Attached Images

23rd September 2011, 09:58 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Thanks Fernando, I hope he will too. Good stuff on the signalling protocol, and thanks for posting this interesting door trap. Here Bond fans thought M1 was the first innovator on these clandestine weapons. Do you remember the grave robber guns? Traps set with loaded guns to prevent grave robbing., Weird. All the best, Jim

23rd September 2011, 10:45 PM	#3
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,633	Hi Fernando! Great find!!! Now that is really cool. The priming pan and crosses make it really intriging. What Century would you guess, 16th or 17th ? Rick.