TWENTY CULVERIN PROJECTILES Reinassence, XV-XVIII century. Lot of twenty iron culverin projectiles. Diameter: 43 mm.; Weight: 290-300 g. Intact and complete. The culverins, also called 'hand cannons' due to their small size, were firearms with a long barrel but a small calibre. Known since 1447, they were used in land and sea battles until the 18th century. The name derives from the Latin 'coluber', meaning 'snake', because of the long barrel that characterised the weapon and its mouth, which could be slightly everted in some examples.