LUSO-CINGALEZE MATCHLOKS

Philip · 4th May 2007, 07:05 AM

Thanks, Fernando, for the mini cannon pictures. I am most amused by the small zoomorphic cannons, usually in the form of crocodiles, tigers, and bulls and with wheels attached, which were reportedly made in Brunei. Gardner, in his KERIS AND OTHER MALAY WEAPONS, shows a couple of these and they are featured in some museum publications from Indonesia and Brunei as well. A peculiar subtype is the bull or ox, with the cannon barrel on the back and firing backwards, over the tail. Gardner shows a rare example with an internal barrel, the muzzle emerging at the bull's buttocks!

By the way, for some detailed historical background on Portuguese breechloading cannon and their intro into China in 1523, see Joseph Needham's SCIENCE AND CIVILIZATION IN CHINA, Vol. 5, Part 7 (Cambridge University, 1986), pp 369ff. There is a photo of a rare breechloading swivel of Portuguese design, made in Africa (possibly Mocambique?), formerly in the Tower of London. Of interest in that photo is the exaggerated, flaring muzzle of the barrel which carries over into the design of lantakas of Malaya.

There are also period woodcuts showing the Chinese enthusiasm for the breechloading concept ("folangji", or Frankish machine), resulting in some rather large guns for land use. The book also has a discussion with documentation on the arrival of the Luso-Cingalese musket in China before its introduction to Japan.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

4th May 2007, 07:05 AM	#8
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	Thanks, Fernando, for the mini cannon pictures. I am most amused by the small zoomorphic cannons, usually in the form of crocodiles, tigers, and bulls and with wheels attached, which were reportedly made in Brunei. Gardner, in his KERIS AND OTHER MALAY WEAPONS, shows a couple of these and they are featured in some museum publications from Indonesia and Brunei as well. A peculiar subtype is the bull or ox, with the cannon barrel on the back and firing backwards, over the tail. Gardner shows a rare example with an internal barrel, the muzzle emerging at the bull's buttocks! By the way, for some detailed historical background on Portuguese breechloading cannon and their intro into China in 1523, see Joseph Needham's SCIENCE AND CIVILIZATION IN CHINA, Vol. 5, Part 7 (Cambridge University, 1986), pp 369ff. There is a photo of a rare breechloading swivel of Portuguese design, made in Africa (possibly Mocambique?), formerly in the Tower of London. Of interest in that photo is the exaggerated, flaring muzzle of the barrel which carries over into the design of lantakas of Malaya. There are also period woodcuts showing the Chinese enthusiasm for the breechloading concept ("folangji", or Frankish machine), resulting in some rather large guns for land use. The book also has a discussion with documentation on the arrival of the Luso-Cingalese musket in China before its introduction to Japan.