Bronze Musket From Joseon Era Found

An octagon-shaped musket rifle dating back to the Joseon Dynasty was discovered yesterday.

Seoul Museum of History said researchers found the bronze musket with an inscription suggesting that it was made in March 1591, one year prior to the Japanese invasion of Korea, during restoration work for Ogansumun (Ogan floodgate). Ogansumun was discovered while the Seoul Metropolitan Government was restoring Cheonggye Stream.

The musket features a long barrel and a wide power chamber that was probably designed to protect from the powerful explosion and musket-ball fragments. The trigger in the cartridge contains powder and a ramrod from below the barrel. The barrel is about 74 centimeters, but the inscription suggests it was originally designed to be 120 centimeters tall.

The ancient musket will be displayed in the first floor of the museum in downtown Seoul through Sept. 30.

zeitung@donga.com