Vast amount of early 16th.c lead shot found in Denmark

[Per Lillelund Jensen]

Hi there this is my first post on this great forum. I found this forum only days ago while searching info on the internet on early 16th.century firearms and artillery... Ohe boy did i find what i looked for and much more, what a great forum.

While my primary interest is late medieval and early 16th.c European armour, late 15th italian armour in particular, i have for many years been involved in researching a Danish castle that in the middelages belonged to a bishop.

The castle was besieged twice in the early 16th.c in 1523 and again in 1535.

Danish metal detectors enthusiast have over the last year found more than 700 lead shot in the fields surrounding the castle. Estimated that approx 95% stems from these two sieges. Together with the lead shots have some cast iron balls and some stone balls been found.

Very interesting is the lead shots for small caliber cannons, with iron or stone core. With a cal. of 45-47mm.

Hagebøsse/Hagenbusse shot in cal. from 10/11mm and up to 20/21mm.

Some very small lead balls with a diameter from 6,3-9mm confuses me? could it be from some form of canister or grapeshot??

Some of the shots still retain that little tap from when they where cast.

Shown on attached images is only a small portion of the over 700 shots found so far. Many of the shots is only fragments or deformed on impact. Most of them is believed to have been shot from the castle at the besiegers. When i get a chance to examine the rest in the near future, i might post a update if something interesting is found.

Regards

Per Lillelund