Cetbang Art Print

Let's close our eyes and try to imagine what it's like to be in a battle field during kingdom eras in Nusantara. One might think of infantry troops with ancient weapons such as spear, sword or bow and arrow. Through the clashing sound of swords, freshly cut organs swathed with blood, one might see bewitching battle between King's lieges where they release deadly Kanuragan spell to one another.

But what was thought of magic is actually burning lead shot in high speed. In reality, of course we know this as firearms. The first one known in Nusantara is a small cannon known as Cetbang. This firearm has been used in Nusantara even before Majapahit era (before 1293). It is believed that this knowledge was bought by Mongolians on their mission to conquer Singasari. At that time, the Mongolians allied with Raden Wijaya to defeat Jayakatwang, the last ruler of Singasari. Raden Wijaya ended up betraying the Mongolians through sudden raid and seized their military assets, including what is now known as Cetbang. The locals duplicated the weapon to strengthen their troops throughout Nusantara, including the notable vessel Jung Jawa Majapahit.