Rare cannonball found at the Alamo may date to…
Archaeologists have uncovered a cannonball that may have been fired during the 1836 Battle of the Alamo — just three months after making a comparable uncommon discovery.
The cannonball was found on June 2.
The Alamo Trust, the nonprofit group that oversees the Alamo Mission, announced the discovery on June 16.
It was found exterior the northeast nook of the Alamo Church, in an adjoining excavation unit where another intact cannonball was unearthed in March.
Pictures show heavy rust overlaying the newly found iron cannonball, which seems orange-brown in coloration.
Because it was found at roughly the same depth as the first cannonball in a neighboring excavation unit, archaeologists consider it seemingly remained undisturbed for practically 190 years.
“So whenever they were dropped, the very first time — possibly in 1836, probably — they haven’t been touched since,” Tiffany Lindley, director of archaeology at the Alamo, said in a press release.
“And that’s what makes them extra special.”
Archaeologists in Texas have uncovered a second cannonball that may date to the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. officialalamo/Instagram
One of the most important conflicts in Texas historical past, the Battle of the Alamo was fought between Mexican forces and Texian rebels.
Lasting from Feb. 23 to Mar. 6, 1836, the battle noticed Texian forces — including Davy Crockett and William B. Travis — maintain off a a lot bigger Mexican military.
The 13-day siege ended with Mexican troops overrunning the Texian defenders, a loss that grew to become a rallying cry for the Texas Revolution.
The artifact was found exterior the northeast nook of the Alamo Church in San Antonio, Texas. officialalamo/Instagram
Researchers have been shocked to discover the second cannonball, Lindley told Fox News Digital.
She said the website has undergone intensive use over the years, including occupation by the US navy quartermaster and business development around the historic grounds.
“All of that has impacted a significant portion of the underground resources,” said Lindley.
The iron cannonball was found close to a stable bronze one found in March, both seemingly untouched for 190 years. officialalamo/Instagram
“It was amazing to find one cannonball, and then to follow it up a couple of months later with a second was quite surprising.”
The lately found cannonball “isn’t as well-preserved as the first due to the type of metal,” said Lindley.
The first one was made of stable bronze, while the second one is made from cast-iron.
The cannonball “is still in pretty good condition,” Alamo director of archaeology Tiffany Lindley said. officialalamo/Instagram
“However, it’s still in pretty good condition,” she added. “We are hoping to send both artifacts off for conservation.”
While the workforce hopes to discover more artifacts associated to the Battle of the Alamo, Lindley said the excavation yields dozens of historic finds every day.
“We are finding dozens of exciting historic artifacts every day, along with hundreds of maybe not so exciting artifacts, like nails and brick,” said Lindley.
“We find what gets left behind, and often that means broken and discarded items.”
Lindley added that, though thrilling, the cannonball is only “one small part in this project.”
“After excavations end, analysis of the data will provide valuable insight into the daily lives of the inhabitants of the site,” she said.
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