Carried along by the river

In the first half of 2021, archaeological monitoring was carried out in the Danube, in connection with the renovation of the Chain Bridge, with the assistance of underwater archaeologist János Attila Tóth. Visibility is minimal in the river, and objects can only be felt by hand oftentimes. Yet numerous finds – mostly from modern times, but some from the Middle Ages – were brought to light from this specific area. Perhaps one of the most significant was a 150-kilogram stone cannonball, which was first lifted onto a diver’s boat, and then brought ashore with the help of a tower crane.
One can only wonder what size and power of cannon was needed to fire such a ball — and how it could have found its way to the bottom of the river.

No certain answer can be given, only hypotheses exist. Written sources tell us that cannons and cannonballs were transported by ship along the Danube, so perhaps one rolled overboard during loading. Another possibility is that during the siege of Buda in the Ottoman period, a shot fired from the far bank fell short of its target and dropped into the water.

Even if the questions remain open, the sheer size of the object makes it a rarity, and it stands as an important piece of evidence about the weaponry of the Middle Ages.

György Terei