The mysterious ceramic vase is actually a 900-year-old 'deadly weapon'

Medieval ceramic containers were often used for many purposes, such as storing oil, medicine, mercury, beer, wine, etc.

 The fragment of a ceramic vase may be an early version of a hand grenade.

However, in a new study, scientists were surprised to find fragments of a ceramic vase that could be an early version of the hand grenade used by warriors during the Crusades. about 900 years ago.

Normally, hand explosives need 3 essential ingredients, including: One is fuel to burn; two are oxidants that help ignite the fuel; and three is a sealed vessel intended to pressurize, enabling the reaction until an explosion is caused.

According to research published in the journal PLOS One, the conical-necked vase's structure consists of a round body like a vase, with a small hole at the top, which can create enough pressure for a reaction. There were also traces of other explosives inside, including a mixture of vegetable oils and animal fats, along with sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate and magnesium nitrate.

The researchers suspect that similar grenades are even fortified with ingredients that can alter their explosive properties, such as magnesium, to produce a bright flash.

However, it remains unclear exactly how the explosives will be ignited. Carney Matheson, a molecular archaeologist at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia doubts the possibility that the components could be detonated on impact. Meanwhile, the team suspects that medieval warriors inserted a detonator into the jar through a small crack, then fixed it with turpentine.

In the past, records have suggested that any early portable explosive device required gunpowder, and used charcoal as fuel and potassium nitrate as an oxidizer, but the new study has could change the opinion of scientists about this deadly weapon.