New addition to Da Nang’s Dien Hai Citadel cannon collection
DNO - A large cannon, believed to be around 168 years old, has been discovered at Da Nang’s Dien Hai Citadel - the 10th such artifact found within the site, bringing the total number of cannons in this special collection to 17.
This artifact provides valuable new data for researching the defensive weaponry used during the Nguyen Dynasty, specifically in the context of the fight against the joint French-Spanish forces in Da Nang between 1858 and 1860. This marks the third large cannon to be unearthed at the site.
As reported, on October 21, during the second phase of the restoration project at Dien Hai Citadel, a site classified as a Special National Relic, construction crews discovered this large cannon. It was found approximately 1.5 meters underground, northeast of the citadel’s eastern gate.
According to a preliminary report from Da Nang Museum, the cannon was cast from cast iron. It measures 2.95 meters in length and has a base diameter of 40 centimeters. The muzzle has an outer diameter of 25 centimeters and an inner diameter of 10 centimeters.
The artifact retains its overall shape but is covered in a thick, congealed layer of rust mixed with sand and fragments of brick mortar, which obscures the touchhole as well as any inscriptions or cast symbols on its body.
The area where the cannon was found also contained numerous fragments of ancient bricks, lime mortar, and dark-colored traces, possibly ash, decayed organic matter, or charred wood.
The traces found at the site require further study to clarify their connection to the artifact, as well as the transformations the site has undergone throughout various historical periods.
According to Mr Huynh Dinh Quoc Thien, Director of Da Nang Museum, the cannon may have been part of the defensive artillery system of Dien Hai Citadel during the Nguyen Dynasty.
Approximately 30 cannons were once deployed as part of this defensive network. In 2005, during demining operations and excavations for the construction of Da Nang Museum, nine cannons were discovered within the citadel grounds.
This latest find brings the total number of such artifacts recovered from the site to 10. Including those found at other locations, a total of 17 cannons have been unearthed.
“This cannon likely belonged to the original defensive artillery system of Dien Hai Citadel, built in 1813 under the reign of King Gia Long and designed according to Vauban-style architecture, which was once equipped with about 30 cannon emplacements”, Mr. Thien stated.
With the discovery of this large cannon during the ongoing restoration and renovation work at Dien Hai Citadel, other artifacts may still lie buried deep beneath the soil.
Dien Hai Citadel was first constructed as a military outpost in the 12th year of King Gia Long’s reign (1813), near the mouth of Han River, to control access to Da Nang Port and serve as an important defensive position.
Recognized as a National Special Relic in 2017, the historic citadel still has a moat between two brick walls. The relic has been restored to rebuild it according to its original design from more than 200 years ago.