Eighteenth century Dutch East India Company cannonballs believed to be found by Indonesian farmer
- 4 years ago
An Indonesian farmer was surprised to find hundreds of ancient cannonballs while digging a hole behind his home.
Footage filmed on Wednesday (July 8) in Hilia Bonjol's market area, Pasaman regency, West Sumatra province, shows hundreds of round steel objects removed from the holes where they were found.
Zairil, 63, who discovered the alleged object of the war's history said that around 1pm on July 7 he was digging up the ground to make a septic tank.
"I dug the ground at waist height, suddenly my handspike and hoe hit a hard object. After checking it turned out there were many round objects and hard shards like made of iron," Zairil said.
Zairil reported his findings to a literacy activist in Bonjol.
The police came to the location to check the findings. Chief of the Bonjol Sector Police, First Inspector Yeeni Brando said the objects found were believed to belong to Tuanku Imam Bonjol's forces during the Padri war against the Dutch VOC (East India Company) in the 18th century (1821-1837).
"The location of this discovery is near the Tuanku Imam Bonjol museum which is a stronghold of the Padri war on Gunung Tak Jadi," Brando police added.
At least 316 cannonballs were found, with a total weight of around 2 tons. All were taken to the sector police station for temporary safekeeping before the authorities checked whether there was any live ordinance.
Footage filmed on Wednesday (July 8) in Hilia Bonjol's market area, Pasaman regency, West Sumatra province, shows hundreds of round steel objects removed from the holes where they were found.
Zairil, 63, who discovered the alleged object of the war's history said that around 1pm on July 7 he was digging up the ground to make a septic tank.
"I dug the ground at waist height, suddenly my handspike and hoe hit a hard object. After checking it turned out there were many round objects and hard shards like made of iron," Zairil said.
Zairil reported his findings to a literacy activist in Bonjol.
The police came to the location to check the findings. Chief of the Bonjol Sector Police, First Inspector Yeeni Brando said the objects found were believed to belong to Tuanku Imam Bonjol's forces during the Padri war against the Dutch VOC (East India Company) in the 18th century (1821-1837).
"The location of this discovery is near the Tuanku Imam Bonjol museum which is a stronghold of the Padri war on Gunung Tak Jadi," Brando police added.
At least 316 cannonballs were found, with a total weight of around 2 tons. All were taken to the sector police station for temporary safekeeping before the authorities checked whether there was any live ordinance.