Researchers in Arizona have unearthed the oldest gun ever found in the continental United States, a bronze cannon associated with the first European expedition of the Southwest. The weapon was discovered in a Spanish stone-and-adobe building near the Santa Cruz River, part of San Geronimo III, the first European settlement in the Southwest established in 1540. The gun, dating back 480 years, was found to be abandoned and never fired after the indigenous Sobaipuri O’odham people launched a successful attack against San Geronimo III, leading the Spanish to stay out of southern Arizona for 150 years.
The gun, a wall gun designed for mounting on fortification walls, was lightweight, durable, and portable, making it ideal for the expedition led by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in search of riches and routes to Asia. The gun’s design, lack of sights, and lack of black residue in the barrel suggest it was intended to fire buckshot, like a shotgun. However, it appears this particular weapon was left unfired as the Spanish were caught by surprise during the attack.
The discovery of the historic gun and thousands of other artifacts at the site near the Santa Cruz River sheds new light on the early European presence in the Southwest and the significant role of the Sobaipuri O’odham people in the region’s history. A second cannon discovered at the site will be analyzed in future research, providing further insight into this unique archaeological find.
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