Historical illustrative sources prove that not all of these short wrought iron barrels were necessarily stocked invidually 500-600 years ago. Most of them probably formed parts of Gothic multibarrel guns - or should we refer to them rather as refined constructions?
Many of them were certainly just used as noisemakers (
Böller) in later centuries.
Btw, I am afraid I will not be able to continue posting regularly for some time. I have to be busy writing a sample chapter of what I am hoping will become my next book and will really be a Magnum Opus. Thank you so much, Ed, my good friend!
Please be patient, Fernando, Jim, Richard (in alphabetical order) and all the others.
Michael