Brief Description:  The Xanadu Gun is a cast-bronze, handheld cannon dating back to 1298, making it the oldest surviving firearm with a precisely dated inscription. Discovered in 1987 in Inner Mongolia at the ruins of Shangdu (the legendary summer capital of Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan), it represents a critical milestone in military history, highlighting the early evolution of gunpowder weaponry in the Yuan Dynasty.

The weapon was lightweight enough to be portable for an individual infantryman but substantial enough to require bracing against the body or a wooden mounting.

Operating this early firearm was a manual, close-range process, as the device lacked any mechanical trigger or lock.

Loading: The gun was muzzle-loaded by packing a charge of black powder (saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal) down the barrel, followed by a wad, and then loaded with loose shrapnel, stones, or metal balls.

Ignition: Firing was achieved by manually inserting a hot wire or a smoldering, slow-burning match into a touch-hole located on the side of the barrel. The explosive force propelled the shot, sending a spray of fire and projectiles forward.

Mounting: The rear of the cannon features axial holes and a socket-like structure. Historians deduce that these holes were used to attach the gun to a wooden stock or a fixed staff, allowing the operator to aim and steady the intense recoil.