Oldest US firearm unearthed in Arizona, a bronze cannon linked to Coronado expedition

Independent researchers in Arizona have unearthed a bronze cannon linked to the Vázquez de Coronado expedition, making it the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States. The discovery sheds new light on the artillery used during the 1539–1542 expedition into the American Southwest.

In the early 16th century, reports of wealthy cities north of Mexico sparked Spanish interest in further exploration. Inspired by the accounts of past conquistador raids and tales of the Seven Cities of Cíbola relayed by Fray Marcos de Niza, Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza organized an expedition led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado in 1539.

Coronado, who mortgaged his wife’s possessions and borrowed heavily for the excursion, went in search of these legendary cities in hopes of stealing gold and precious stones, claiming land and enslaving large populations for forced labor.

With 150 mounted soldiers, 200 infantrymen, and hundreds of native recruits, the expedition would ultimately face disappointment when the cities did not match the grandeur described. Instead of finding riches or large populations to enslave, the armed force mostly looted blankets and pottery from small Pueblo communities in the Southwest before turning back when they reached the Great Plains of Kansas.

In the study, “Coronado’s Cannon: A 1539–42 Coronado Expedition Cannon Discovered in Arizona,” published in the International Journal of Historical Archaeology, the team details a bronze cannon found at an excavation site in the Santa Cruz Valley of Arizona and how they connect it to Francisco Vázquez de Coronado.

The cannon was found on the floor of a Spanish stone-and-adobe structure, dated to the Coronado era using radiocarbon dating and optically stimulated luminescence techniques. Other artifacts recovered from the site align with the expedition, including European pottery and olive jar sherds, glass shards, and weapon parts.

Sometimes referred to as a wall gun, the unearthed cannon was an early type of firearm requiring two people to operate. Designed primarily for use along fortification walls, the expedition reportedly utilized them as an offensive weapon to breach wooden or light adobe walls of domestic dwellings in the cities they encountered.

Measuring 42 inches in length and weighing about 40 pounds, the cannon type would typically make use of a large wooden tripod. It shows evidence of being sand-cast with three sprue marks along the bottom axis and four iron pins used in the casting process. The plain and unadorned casting design suggests it may have been cast in Mexico or the Caribbean rather than Spain, where a more decorative approach was common.

It is also suggested that the cannon could have been purchased from a previous Spanish expedition, possibly even from Ponce de León. The cannon was found unloaded and shows no evidence of use in the battle, raising questions about why it was left behind.

Historical accounts indicate that the local Sobaipuri O’odham people attacked the settlement, leading to the Spaniards retreating from the area. Clusters of lead shot and distinctive Sobaipuri arrowheads at the site reinforce the narrative of a confrontation.

This discovery provides the first known firearm from the Coronado expedition and offers insights into early Spanish-Native American interactions in the Southwest. Further analyses are planned to determine the gun’s exact origins and study other site artifacts.

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