Incendiary device? Grenade? Or what?

Matchlock · 18th March 2014, 03:10 PM

Well, Nando,

It is tiny, indeed.

On the other hand, if I remember it correctly, the 1,000 year-old samples from the Egyptian period of the Fatimids were quite small and delicate as well. And the 17th c. clay hand grenades at Forchtentein Castle, Austria are of an average diameter of only ca. 10 cm.
I am about to get into contact with a real scholar on this field of hand grenades and will ask his opinion. He did research on a great number of clay and glass grenades kept in the Forchtenstein Armory. Maybe we will all know better then.

Best,
Michl

fernando · 18th March 2014, 03:20 PM

Whatever you find, keep it secret from Captain Mark

Marcus den toom · 18th March 2014, 03:34 PM

hahah, maybe we can team up Nando and go dig for our own grenades

fernando · 18th March 2014, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus den toom

hahah, maybe we can team up Nando and go dig for our own grenades

Don't tease me; i may take it seriously

Marcus den toom · 18th March 2014, 07:49 PM

Well Nando, when you have some spare time...

But untill than, something i believe to be a grenade thrower or a very cruel trick on a homeless person.
http://dla.library.upenn.edu/dla/med...urrentpage=195

Matchlock · 18th March 2014, 08:42 PM

Excellent find, Marcus

,

This is from the well known book by Franz Helm, Von den probierten Künsten (on well-tried arts), 1535.

It does show a device to hurl a grenade, and the attached pages are very notable for depicting related stuff that is of interest for our thread!

Best,
Michael

Marcus den toom · 18th March 2014, 09:02 PM

Thank you Michl,

I was already pondering about the possible ways to hurl these grenades around, but i had no clue about relevant sources until i found this manuscript.

The 'red' grenade on the second image of your above post, is this some sort of rope with a grenade at the end which was hurled trough the air like a scottish highland game (sorry for the weird phrasing).

and the grenades at the bottom of the same picture, do they have secondary charges inside metal containers/explosives (there seems to be a little hole in each of the grey tubes).

Best,
Marcus

18th March 2014, 08:42 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Excellent find, Marcus , This is from the well known book by Franz Helm, Von den probierten Künsten (on well-tried arts), 1535. It does show a device to hurl a grenade, and the attached pages are very notable for depicting related stuff that is of interest for our thread! Best, Michael Attached Images

18th March 2014, 03:10 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Well, Nando, It is tiny, indeed. On the other hand, if I remember it correctly, the 1,000 year-old samples from the Egyptian period of the Fatimids were quite small and delicate as well. And the 17th c. clay hand grenades at Forchtentein Castle, Austria are of an average diameter of only ca. 10 cm. I am about to get into contact with a real scholar on this field of hand grenades and will ask his opinion. He did research on a great number of clay and glass grenades kept in the Forchtenstein Armory. Maybe we will all know better then. Best, Michl

18th March 2014, 03:20 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Whatever you find, keep it secret from Captain Mark

18th March 2014, 03:34 PM	#3
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 535	hahah, maybe we can team up Nando and go dig for our own grenades

18th March 2014, 07:49 PM	#5
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 535	Well Nando, when you have some spare time... But untill than, something i believe to be a grenade thrower or a very cruel trick on a homeless person. http://dla.library.upenn.edu/dla/med...urrentpage=195

18th March 2014, 09:02 PM	#7
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 535	Thank you Michl, I was already pondering about the possible ways to hurl these grenades around, but i had no clue about relevant sources until i found this manuscript. The 'red' grenade on the second image of your above post, is this some sort of rope with a grenade at the end which was hurled trough the air like a scottish highland game (sorry for the weird phrasing). and the grenades at the bottom of the same picture, do they have secondary charges inside metal containers/explosives (there seems to be a little hole in each of the grey tubes). Best, Marcus