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Friday, May 19, 2017

Pyrite enjoyed brief popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries as a source of ignition in early firearms.

The 16th century marked the first time a plan such as Balthazar’s had become technologically feasible. Until then, the only firearms were matchlocks – heavy, unwieldy affairs which could neither be concealed from view nor fired without a smoldering fuse, a fuse which burned at the mercy of the elements and which gave off a tell-tale whiff of smoke to any nearby sentient target. [source]

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