Bedil tombak or bedil tumbak is a type of early firearm from the Indonesian archipelago. The weapon consists of a gun or small cannon mounted on a wooden pole, forming a type of weapon known as "pole gun" (stangenbüchse in German).[1]: 256
The word bedil is a term in the Malay and Javanese language meaning gun (any type of gun, from small pistol to large siege gun).[2] The word tombak or tumbak means spear, pike, or lance.[3]: 81
The introduction of gunpowder-based weapons in the Nusantara archipelago can be traced back to the Mongol invasion of Java (1293), where the Chinese-Mongol troops used cannon (炮—Pào) against the forces of Kediri in Daha.[4]: 1–2 [5][6]: 244–245 [7]: 220 Between the 14th–15th century, there are local sources mentioned about bedil (gun or gunpowder-based weapon), but since this is a broad term caution must be taken to identify what type of weapon used in a passage.[8][9] A small hand-gun dated from the year 1340 thought to be Chinese was found in Java, but the dating may have been wrong.[6]: 275
Ma Huan (Zheng He's translator) visited Majapahit in 1413 and took notes about the local customs. His book, Yingya Shenlan, explained about Javanese marriage ceremony: when the husband was escorting his new wife to the marital home, various instruments were sounded, including gongs, drums, and huochong (fire-tube or hand cannon).[10][11]: 245 It is probable that the Javanese hand cannon is modeled after Chinese ones. A Chinese pole cannon from 1421 A.D. has been found in the island of Java bearing the name of Emperor Yongle (1403–1425).[11]: 245 The gun's ignition hole is protected from the rain by a cover connected with a hinge.[1]: 256
Haiguo Guangji (海国广记) and Shuyu zhouzi lu (殊域周咨錄) recorded that Java is vast and densely populated, and their armored soldiers and hand cannons (火銃—huǒ chòng) dominated the Eastern Seas.[12]: 755 [13][14]
Duarte Barbosa recorded the abundance of gunpowder-based weapons in Java ca. 1514. The Javanese were deemed as expert gun casters and good artillerymen. The weapon made there include one-pounder cannons, long muskets, spingarde (arquebus), schioppi (hand cannon), Greek fire, guns (cannons), and other fire-works.[15]: 254 [16][6]: 224 In the 1511 siege of Malacca, the Malays were using cannons, matchlock guns, and "firing tubes".[17]: 146–147 The gunpowder weapons of Malacca were not made by the Malay people but were imported from Java.[18]: 3–4 [19]: 97–98
Local babad (historical text) of the post-17th century occasionally mention bedil tombak.[20] In Lombok example of such babads were babad Lombok, babad Mengui, and babad Sakra.[21]: 93–96 [22]: 79, 83 [23] They are also mentioned in Sundanese and Balinese texts.[24]: 103 [25]: 128 During the Bali-Lombok war (ca. early 19th century–end of 19th century), a part of Karangasem troops were armed with bedil tombak.[23]