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Ancient
Gun Found in Northeast China
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????An ancient bronze
musket dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was found Tuesday
in Harbin, capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
????The artifact was discovered by a local resident
in an urban area, said an archaeologist.
????The musket is 29.5 centimeters long, with
a black and rough surface. The external diameter of the gun is
five centimeters and the inside diameter is 2.5 centimeters.
????With a sight-line and a matchlock, the bore
of the musket is 7.5 centimeters deep. Many Chinese characters
carved on the gun surface can be identified, indicating its weight
and date of production.
????After a quick analysis, archeologists decided
that the gun was made in the early period of Emperor Wanli in
the Ming Dynasty, and it may even have been used in wars in the
late years of the dynasty.
????(Xinhua 02/07/2001)
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