Ssangja Chongtong Gun

During the mid-Joseon period, the ‘Ssang’ Size Hand Cannon was a personal portable weapon that could fire six consecutive shots. To fire it, gunpowder and a bullet were loaded into the muzzle and then a slow match at the back was lit to manually discharge the weapon. It was made by a master craftsman named Seo Ga in 1583 according to its inscription, and is currently the oldest known ‘Ssang’ Size Hand Cannon in existence. The barrels have two barrel bands, and there is a place to put three shots as well as holes for loading gunpowder. These holes are spaced evenly apart to prevent the ignition of one section from unintentionally igniting another. Moreover, in the handle section, there is an inscription that includes not only the craftsman’s name but also information about the amount of gunpowder needed, the length of the gunpowder loading vessel, the number of iron shot, etc.

Conservation Story
In "Ssangja Chongtong", soil and corrosives were firmly fixed on the surface and inside, and a bronze bottle was in progress in which green and gray corrosives were powdered into spots. In particular, the corrosion of the joints was severe. Various scientific investigations were conducted before processing its conservation. As a result of the diagnosis, many bubbles were found inside the barrel through X-ray and gamma-ray irradiation. It was found that the connection between the body and the bag was relatively small, so the back part was made very thick and strong. In particular, through computer tomography (CT), six rectangular fixing pins connecting the barrel are arranged in a rhombus shape (4 guns, 2 bags), and two pauses penetrating the top and bottom of the handle are also identified. In addition, ultraviolet imaging showed that the tip of the gun barrel was repaired with synthetic resin in the past. Finally, X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) and scanning electron microscope element analysis (SEM-EDS) revealed that the surface of the barrel was mainly composed of copper (Cu) and tin (Sn) and contained a small amount of lead (Pb).