Mine Sweep in South Korea Uncovers Peninsula’s Oldest Known Gunpowder Weapon

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The short version

• Soldiers conducting land mine detection found a ten-inch bronze tube dating to the late 14th or early 15th century.
• Inscriptions on the weapon identify the artisan, supervisor, and weight, providing precise manufacturing details rare for this era.
• Experts view the find as critical for understanding the development of firearms in Korea during a period with few surviving physical examples.

Military personnel conducting routine land mine clearance operations on Geumseongsan Mountain in Naju, South Korea, have uncovered what researchers identify as the oldest known gunpowder weapon found in the country. The artifact is a hwatong, or fire tube, crafted from bronze and measuring approximately ten inches in length. Experts at the Korea Heritage Service began analyzing the object in 2023 after its discovery during the sweep, confirming its historical significance through detailed examination of its material composition and inscriptions.

The weapon dates to either 1377 or 1437, placing it within a crucial transitional era between the late Goryeo and early Joseon dynasties. Korean historians utilize a sixty-year sexagenary cycle for dating, with the Jeongsa year appearing as the fifty-seventh year in each sequence. This cyclical system creates ambiguity regarding the exact century of manufacture, though both potential dates fall within a period when physical examples of firearms are exceptionally scarce. The artifact weighs slightly more than two pounds and bears twenty-eight Korean characters carved into its surface.

The inscriptions provide specific details about the weapon’s production that are uncommon for artifacts of this age. According to translations by heritage officials, the text records that the Hwangja Hwatong was created in the twelfth month of the Jeongsa year. It lists the weight as one geun and fourteen nyang, using traditional units of measurement. The carving also identifies An Hyu-bo, holding the title of Noksa, as the official who supervised the work, and names Seok as the artisan responsible for its construction. Hwangja serves as a class designation for the type of firearm.

This discovery fills a notable gap in the documented history of Korean military technology. Physical evidence of gunpowder weapons from the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods is exceedingly rare, making this bronze tube highly valuable for heritage studies. Lee Sang-hoon, former deputy director of the Korea Army Museum, noted that the artifact helps bridge missing links in the country’s firearm development timeline. The find offers tangible proof of how these technologies were manufactured and regulated during a time when written records often lack such granular detail.

The broader context of gunpowder technology involves its origins in ninth-century China, where Daoist alchemists initially mixed sulfur, potassium nitrate, and charcoal while attempting to create an elixir of life. This black powder was first used for fireworks and signals before Chinese inventors began packing it with projectiles into bamboo tubes in the tenth century. By the late thirteenth century, these weapons had evolved into metal forms, and the technology spread across regions including the Korean peninsula. The hwatong represents an early stage of this metallurgical transition.

During the fourteenth century, the popularity and strategic importance of firearms grew significantly within Korea. In 1377, which may coincide with the creation of this specific artifact, scientist Choi Mu-Seon successfully persuaded the Goryeo dynasty to establish a dedicated directorate for gunpowder weapons known as the Hwatong Dogam. This institutional support suggests that the state recognized the military value of such arms during a period of regional instability and shifting political power.

The location of the discovery on Geumseongsan Mountain may offer clues regarding why the weapon ended up there. Eo Changsun, head of academic research at the Naju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, suggests the site served as a geographical stronghold against Japanese pirates who previously sailed up the Yeongsan River to plunder coastal areas. It is plausible that Korean defenders used the mountain’s elevation for strategic advantage, leaving behind equipment during conflicts or subsequent abandonment.

Cho Mi-soon, director of the Naju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, described the find as an extraordinary discovery with immense academic and cultural value. The artifact provides a rare window into the material culture of warfare during a pivotal historical shift. As researchers continue to study the piece, it stands as a testament to the technological advancements of the era, preserving details about craftsmanship and military organization that might otherwise have been lost to time.

The identification of this hwatong underscores the importance of ongoing demining efforts in South Korea, which frequently uncover historical artifacts buried beneath layers of soil and debris from centuries of conflict. While the primary goal of these operations is safety and land reclamation, they inadvertently serve as archaeological excavations. This particular find highlights how modern military maintenance can intersect with historical preservation, yielding insights into the peninsula’s complex past.

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• Smithsonian Magazine↗Soldiers Sweeping for Land Mines in South Korea Have Unearthed the Country’s Oldest Gun, a 600-Year-Old Inscribed Bronze Tube