You Won’t Believe What Historical Artifact Was Found In Arizona

It's no secret that Arizona is one of America's most historically significant states. As the "new frontier" in the early 19th century, to the gunslingers and outlaws that slowly faded away into legend, Arizona's historical significance cannot be understated.

As history goes though, new discoveries are always being made, and one of the biggest in American history was just made here.

A Massive Discovery Made in Arizona

The fuss all started on November 21st, 2024, when a research paper was published. The paper was titled "Coronado's Cannon: A 1539-42 Coronado Expedition Cannon Discovered in Arizona" by Deni J. Seymour and William P. Mapoles.

The title is pretty self explanatory, a cannon from 1539-1542 was unearthed in the Santa Cruz valley. This is no ordinary cannon though. The dates this cannon was estimated to be used in makes it the oldest firearm in American history, coming only a century after Columbus discovered the new world in 1492 (sailing the ocean blue or something).

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The History of Coronado's Cannon

The cannon itself is made of bronze, and was found at an old Spanish structure, likely belonging to Vázquez de Coronado. This cannon was likely used in his expedition of the western United States, and was left behind for unknown reasons.

This piece of weaponry was likely purchased from a prior expedition, with fingers pointing to the famous Ponce de León. The settlement was likely abandoned due to attacks from the Sobaipuri O'odham people.

Now, this artifact can help fill in the gaps of the early days of the American Southwest, and has led to further investigation of the surrounding areas to piece together Coronado's expedition.

[Phys.org][Springer Nature Link]