Ceramic vessels which date back to 11th-12th century Jerusalem could have been used as an ancient version of explosive hand grenades, according to a recent study.
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Though the containers were originally believed to be used to hold scented oils or for a variety of other purposes, Dr. Carney Matheson, an associate professor at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, found that a number of the vessels also contained traces of flammable material.
The study, which was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PLOS One, indicates that the ceramic containers could have been used as ancient, explosive weapons.
"This research has shown the diverse use of these unique ceramic vessels which include ancient explosive devices," Matheson said, according to a press release on the study from the university.
"These vessels have been reported during the time of the Crusades as grenades thrown against Crusader strongholds producing loud noises and bright flashes of light."
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The study found that the containers, some of which were sealed using resin, held a kind of explosive material that was believed to be developed locally.
"More research on these vessels and their explosive content will allow us to understand ancient explosive technology of the medieval period, and the history of explosive weapons in the Eastern Mediterranean," the researcher explained.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
