A relic believed to be the oldest gunpowder weapon in South Korea has been discovered on Geumsungsan Mountain in Naju, Gwangju.
This small gunpowder weapon is thought to have been made during the late Goryeo to early Joseon period.
Geumsungsan was a military stronghold in the Yeongsan River basin at that time.
The National Naju Cultural Heritage Research Institute announced on September 21 that it has confirmed the inscription on the 'Hwangja Hwathong' (黃字火筒), a gunpowder weapon found on Geumsungsan.
The Hwathong (火筒) is a weapon that uses gunpowder to launch arrows or projectiles.
It was an innovative advancement over the bow, which was the primary weapon of the time, in terms of range and destructive power.
After the reign of King Sejong (1418–1450), it was mainly referred to as 'Chongtong' (銃筒).
The Naju Hwangja Hwathong was discovered in November 2023 by the army.
While conducting mine detection ahead of trail construction, a military unit found the relic at a depth of 10 centimeters and reported it. The Naju Research Institute then conducted a local investigation and analysis.
The discovered relic measures 23.75 centimeters in length, has a diameter of 1.66 centimeters, and weighs 1,032 grams.
According to the investigation, the Hwangja Hwathong consists of three main parts: the muzzle from which the projectile exits, the powder chamber for gunpowder, and the handle where the wooden grip is attached.
Among these, the muzzle and handle feature a total of 28 characters inscribed in relief.
The inscription reads: 'In the twelfth month of the year Jeongsa, the Hwangja Hwathong was made, weighing one jin and fourteen liang. The supervisor was An Hyubo, and the craftsman was Seok.'
This inscription provides details about the time the Hwangja Hwathong was made, its specific weight, the title and name of the supervisor, and the name of the craftsman.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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