‘Medieval’ cannon dug out at India's Tapi river

A seven-foot long cannon weighing two tonnes and possibly belonging to the medieval era has been found at the banks of Tapi river by the labourers working on there on a project. 

The medieval canon found on the banks of the Tapi river [Credit: Express India]

The cannon has been shifted to the City Science Centre in Surat and officials of the Archaeological Survey of India have been informed. 

According to Kamlesh Pagathia, the site supervisor for the project, some labourers were carrying out digging work when they hit a hard metal buried three-feet deep into the ground. 

After being informed, Pagathia asked the workers to dig out the object, which turned out to be a huge cannon with a diameter of 10 centimetre. 

It took around 15 workers to lift the cannon and shift it to a another place for safekeeping. 

Map of the state of Gujarat, India with district boundaries [Credit: Wiki Commons]

K B Rabadia, an executive engineer with the irrigation department, also visited the spot after being informed. 

On Monday, district collector A J Shah ordered that the cannon be sent to the City Science Centre where it will be kept on display for visitors. 

Shah said archaeology officials in Vadodara had been informed and they had sought photographs of the cannon. “We will send the pictures after which a team from Vadodara will come to Surat and examine it.”  

Source: Express India [May 22, 2012]