- Archaeology
The discovery of a handgun from 1390 found in Germany reveals that portable firearms were used earlier than thought in late medieval Europe.
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A fragment of the handgun found in 2023.
(Image credit: Prignitz District)
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Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterFragments of an early handgun found in Brandenburg, Germany, could be from Europe's oldest known portable gunpowder weapon, according to new research.
The artifact, which is about 2 inches (6 centimeters) long, may date to 1390. If so, it would be nine years older than the famous Tannenberg rifle, which dates to 1399 and is widely considered the oldest handheld firearm in Europe.
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In 2023, Matthias Dasse, a volunteer heritage conservationist, discovered the handgun fragments during a field survey near Kletzke Castle in the Brandenburg region of Germany. Dasse took the pieces to Gordon Thalmann, head of the Lower Monument Protection Authority of Prignitz, who identified the bronze casting as the barrel of an early firearm.
Researchers have nicknamed the artifact the "Kletzker Handrohr," which translates to "Kletzke hand cannon," because they believe it may be linked to the famed siege of Kletzke Castle in 1390, when the stronghold became the focus of a regional conflict in Brandenburg. According to a surviving account from Franciscan monk Detmar of Lübeck, two dukes led 1,100 men in a march against the castle, which was held by the powerful von Quitzow family. The defenders managed to secure the castle and drive off the attackers. The castle was later renovated in the centuries that followed.
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If the link between the siege and the Kletzke hand cannon is confirmed, the object would provide rare physical evidence of early firearms that began to appear in late medieval warfare.
Krauskopf noted, however, that the Kletzke hand cannon was likely not made locally and may have been brought in by outside attackers.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter nowContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The findings were presented Feb. 27 at the annual conference of the State Archaeology Department. Krauskopf plans to continue studying the fragments while Brandenburg authorities work to develop the Kletzke site for archaeological tourism.
Kenna Hughes-CastleberryContent Manager, Live ScienceKenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Content Manager at Live Science. Formerly, she was the Content Manager at Space.com and before that the Science Communicator at JILA, a physics research institute. Kenna is also a book author, with her upcoming book 'Octopus X' scheduled for release in spring of 2027. Her beats include physics, health, environmental science, technology, AI, animal intelligence, corvids, and cephalopods.
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