Researchers have discovered a series of 400-year-old stone grenades engraved with orders for soldiers to guard against enemies on a section of the Great Wall near Beijing, Live Science reported on October 26. The discovery shows the incredible diversity of early gunpowder weapons used during the Ming Dynasty, which ruled from 1368 to 1644, said Tonio Andrade, a history professor at Emory University in Atlanta.

Scientists believe that gunpowder was invented in China in the 900s. By the time the Ming Dynasty began to rule, many types of gunpowder weapons were in use in East Asia, including explosive devices nicknamed "flying rats," "fire bricks," and "iron spike fireballs." According to Xinhua, an archaeological team found 59 stone grenades in the remains of a warehouse inside the Great Wall of China in Badaling, a section of the wall built by the Ming Dynasty, about 80 kilometers northwest of Beijing.

The centuries-old grenades were made of stone with a hole drilled in the center for filling with gunpowder. They were similar in construction to stone grenades found earlier, suggesting they were a common weapon used by guards along the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty. After being filled with gunpowder, the grenades could be sealed and thrown, not only hitting the enemy but also causing an explosion, according to Shang Heng, a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology in Beijing. He said this was the first time a weapons warehouse had been discovered on the Great Wall.

Such weapons were easy to make and convenient for soldiers stationed on the Great Wall to hurl at invading enemies, said Ma Lüwei, an archaeologist who studies ancient Chinese military history. Early grenades often ignited objects. But the gunpowder formula of the time was still designed to maximize explosive power.

In addition to the grenades, archaeologists also discovered the remains of a stone fortress near the Great Wall, many watchtowers as well as fire pits, stoves, shovels and household utensils.

An Khang (According to Live Science )