Lantaka type ship cannon. Southeast Asia, probably Philippines or Malay-Indonesian area, 18th-19th century.

Lantaka type ship cannon. Southeast Asia, probably Philippines or Malay-Indonesian area, 18th-19th century.
Bronze.
With wooden base.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use and patina.
Measurements: 74 cm long; 10 cm diameter of the mouth; 13 cm high barrel. 14 cm of height the pedestal.

Lantaka type ship cannon. This type of piece was characteristic of Southeast Asia, especially in the Malay, Indonesian and Philippine areas, where it was used in ships, coastal fortifications and defensive contexts between the XVIII and XIX centuries.

The cannon has a long tube with a widened mouth and incised decoration, organized in longitudinal bands and ornamental registers. It also preserves lateral trunnions for its assembly and a reinforced rear area, typical elements of this type of light artillery.

The lantaka were valued both for their defensive function and for their symbolic relevance, since in many Southeast Asian cultures they could also act as objects of prestige, exchange or representation of power.