A ''Pierrier à boîte'' was an early type of small

wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag Inclusion (mineral), inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a ...

cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

developed in the early 15th century, and a type of

breech-loading swivel gun A breech-loading swivel gun was a particular type of swivel gun and a small breech-loading cannon invented in the 14th century. It was equipped with a swivel for easy rotation and was loaded by inserting a mug-shaped device called a chamber or bree ...

. It was part of the artillery of France in the Middle Ages, and the artillery of the Middle Ages in general. Perrier is the historical term in English for such weapons, literally a stone thrower. The pierrier was a

breech-loading A breechloader is a firearm in which the user loads the ammunition (cartridge or shell) via the rear (breech) end of its barrel, as opposed to a muzzleloader, which loads ammunition via the front ( muzzle). Modern firearms are generally breech ...

weapon, using a powder chamber similar to a

beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...

mug for loading of individual shots, without having to load from the front or lose time ramming charges in. The pierrier allowed for extremely fast loading and firing, as it expended charges prepared in advance. On the downside, it leaked easily, leading to loss of power and safety issues for the gunners. The pierrier was often used with a

swivel A swivel is a connection that allows the connected object, such as a gun, chair, swivel caster, or an anchor rode to rotate horizontally or vertically. Swivel designs A common design for a swivel is a cylindrical rod that can turn freely wi ...

. It was a weapon of choice on

warship A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the armed forces of a state. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster a ...

s for intense and close encounters. It remained in use until the 19th century. Note: it should not be confused with the 18th-century ''pierrier'' as described in the '' Encyclopédie'' of

Diderot Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the ''Encyclopédie'' along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a prominen ...

, which was a thin-walled wide-mouthed stone-throwing mortar (see the lower image in his Pl. X).

Gallery

File:Perrier_a_boite_cal_72mm_length_140cm_weight_110kg_seized_in_Constantine_in_1837.jpg, Pierrier à boîte, cal 72 mm, length 140 cm, weight 110 kg, seized in

Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I * Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine given na ...

in 1837.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierrier a boite Artillery of France Medieval artillery

Gallery

See also

Notes