Medieval hand cannons -- asian?

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by katana

Interesting picture Ed, the 'rings' on the cannon ......re-inforcement, 'cooling' fins or perhaps duel purpose .....I wonder ???

Ed, interesting image indeed.

David, the rings would appear to me as reinforcements primarily.

And I believe it's because the ancient Chinese cannons and European cannons must have shared the same construction methodology -- the barrel was made from several thick slats of metal, then bound together with rings.

In fact the word "barrel" [of a gun or cannon] is a very descriptive term, historically -- a gun barrel then was made in a very similar fashion vis-a-vis how a barrel [container] was made.