March
11
/ 2026
A small, decorated bronze fragment discovered in a field in northeastern Germany may be the oldest known handgun in the country, a find that could rewrite the history of medieval firearms in Europe. Archaeologists believe the artifact, known as the "Kletzke Handrohr," dates to around 1390, which would make it older than the current title-holder for Europe's oldest handgun, the Tannenbergbüchse. The discovery has sent ripples through the world of medieval archaeology, raising fresh questions about how quickly gunpowder weapons spread across Europe in the late 14th century. A Discovery of Great Significance The artifact, a bronze fragment just six centimeters long, was found in 2023 by volunteer heritage protector Matthias Dasse during a field survey near Kletzke in the
