A bronze cannon recently recovered by researchers in Arizona appears to be the oldest know firearm ever found in the continental United States. According to experts, analysis indicates the 40 lbs weapon was likely owned by one of history’s most famous and notorious conquistadors, although he may never have fired it in battle.
In 1539, Vázquez de Coronado... and his 350 soldiers intended to locate the legendary (and nonexistent) Seven Cities of Gold somewhere north of Mexico...
In the ruins of a stone and adobe structure located in Arizona’s Santa Cruz Valley, researchers discovered olive jar and glass shards, European pottery, and weapon components—including a 42-inch-long bronze cannon...
Here is the link for more about that.
The oldest known firearm in the U.S. unearthed in Arizona | Popular Science
And here is another.
Oldest U.S. Firearm Ever Discovered Unearthed in Arizona
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An unusual piece of Anglo-Saxon jewelry — a plagiarized pendant rife with typos — that was discovered by a metal detectorist has now been declared treasure in the U.K.
The pendant imitates a Roman coin called a solidus, a type of gold coin introduced by the emperor Constantine in the fourth century A.D. It was discovered in January 2023 near the town of Attleborough in Norfolk, England, and dates to the late fifth to early sixth century. The piece of jewelry copies the imagery and inscriptions found on coins from the time of emperor Honorius, ruler of the Western Roman Empire from A.D. 393 to 423...
But these typos probably didn't bother the Anglo-Saxons, Marsden said. The pendant's designer likely did not intend it to be a faithful recreation of the original coin or to be used as currency. Rather, the artifact was fashioned as an item of adornment, with a gold loop soldered to the top. And while coins were commonly repurposed as jewelry, "to model a piece of jewellery on a coin is much more interesting," Marsden said...
Here is that link.
Anglo-Saxons plagiarized a Roman coin — and it's full of typos
"Plagiarized" isn't the word I would use.
Robert Gurney, in his extensive work on "un-real reals" defines four classes of fake coins. The classifications are very useful. This interesting fake Roman coin was perhaps not a fake in the sense of being made to fool anybody as a coin.
You will see similarly fake coins used in more modern jewelry. They weren't meant to be used as coins or convince anybody that the are coins. They are just ornamental items. You've probably found some of those. I should post a few.
As Gurney points out in his book, it would have been easier to fool people with inaccurate fake coins, especially coins which people did not regularly see in circulation, not having the exposure of resources we have today. Coming across a Roman coin in the hills or West Virginia a couple centuries ago, for example, would have been a strange thing and very difficult to assess or identify given the lack of experts and research resources.
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Yesterday I posted information I found on John C's very nice Guerlain perfume bottle found sliding down the dunes one day. John C. sent the following response.
... I didn't even realize that bottle had that type of history behind it. Pretty interesting, so thanks again for all the hard work put into your blog each day..
I appreciate it...
Thanks for sharing your find John. We all learn when we share. I learned too when I researched it. I am grateful for the many readers that share finds and information.
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Last night I watched a few episodes of Duck Family Treasure. Nice program. Less BS and fake drama than some of the less honest treasure TV.
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| Wind and Swell Chart From SurfGuru.com. |
We have a nice north wind and swell this mornig. The tides are still pretty high too.
Unfortunately the surf is not big. Just around two or three feet.
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| Source: SurfGuru.com. |
I'd expect to see some little cuts on some beach fronts today.
Good hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net