Archaeological experimentation with a shotgun powder recipe from the late 15th and early 16th centuries

This chapter will examine and analyse the experimentation with a recipe for gunpowder
for muskets from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, taken from a manuscript
from the Casa del Infantado. To this end, the methodology of experimental archaeology
will be employed to understand medieval technical knowledge and verify
its practical validity. The study contextualises the importance of gunpowder in the
transformation of warfare during the Late Middle Ages, highlighting its origins in
China and its spread to Europe. It describes its basic components –saltpetre, sulphur
and charcoal– as well as the processes involved in their extraction and refinement.
The experiment reproduces the production of hazel charcoal and the mixing of the
ingredients according to the original recipe. The results show that the formula is
effective, confirming that these texts were not merely theoretical, but practical guides
for artillerymen. Furthermore, the study highlights the technical complexity
of these trades and the value of experimental archaeology in recovering medieval
industrial knowledge.