Inquiry launched into cannons discovered at Lahore Fort

Cannons were found during excavation at Musamam Gate

LAHORE: An investigation has been launched by the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) to uncover the history of the cannons that were discovered during excavation at Lahore Fort.

Currently, work is underway to restore the royal kitchen (shahi bawarchi khana), the arsenal and Musamam Gate. More than 150,000 cubic feet of rubble and dirt have been dug up since the excavation project began.

WCLA officials said that during excavation not only did they find objects dating back to the Sikh era, they also discovered an underground passage. On 13th September, workers found remnants of artillery. When some more digging was done at Musamam Gate, they stumbled upon the two cannons.

Experts speculate that the cannons hail from the colonial era. After some more digging, the cannons can be seen in all their glory. After stumbling upon them, WCLA has started the process of cleaning them; the black iron is currently rusted. WCLA Spokesperson Sania Qureshi said that these cannons are in pristine condition and are still intact.

“Keeping this in mind, the authority is contemplating displaying them outside of the British era wooden bridge, the jail or the arsenal in Lahore Fort,” she maintained.

However, before any of this can happen an investigation will be launched to uncover the weight, the length and the mass of the cannons while also trying to unearth their origins, she added. Two similar cannons have been displayed outside of Dewan-i-Aam while one more is exhibited at the back of Moti Masjid.

The symbol of a crown, including numbers, has been etched into the cannons proving the theory that they are a relic from the colonial era. The Musamam Gate was constructed during Shah Jehan’s era while the arsenal and the underground passage leading towards it were built by the British when they took over rule.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2018.