Artwork : ArchiveNo00006

Bomb from the Napoleonic Era c. 1800

ContributionForm
Contributor Name	Portsmouth City Museum
Contributor Image	ros_web.jpg
Profession
Location	Old Portsmouth
Collection Date	11.10.06
Artefact Name	Bomb from the Napoleonic Era
Artefact Description	A round, iron cannonball. Poor condition. Diametre approx. 10cm.
Artefact Date	c. 1800
Artefact Stored	Museum store
Artefact Form	0006_bomb.jpg
Artefact Image	006.jpg
Sample Taken	Top layer of rust
Sample Image
History of Artefact	One of a collection of Napoleonic bombs. These were the first Recently checked in 2006 by the bomb squad! It was not found to be harmful. Bombs were hollowed projectiles (50 to 75 kilos) which added a breaking effect to the burst. This result was particularly sought against buildings during siege operations. The powder load reached 3 to 4 kilos. The bomb was a hollowed sphere, which inner surface was reinforced in its bottom (culot in French) whose role was to sustain the burst pressure. There was always the danger that the projectile would explode soon after departure, in which case the artillery piece could be damaged or destroyed. Every bomb was equipped with a fuse, a hollowed pipe made from a lime tree and filled with an inflammable mixture, which length and density were "estimated" by the artificer.
Historian	Rosalinda Hardiman
Previous Owners
Special Memories
Artwork Image	0006-bomb_napoleonic.jpg

Topic attachments
I	Attachmentb	Action	Size
jpg	ros_web.jpg	manage	137.9 K
jpg	0006_bomb.jpg	manage	44.8 K
jpg	0006-bomb_napoleonic.jpg	manage	52.1 K
jpg	006.jpg	manage	53.8 K