Rare cannonball emerges from ground at the Alamo, likely untouched for nearly 190 years

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Archaeologists have uncovered a cannonball that may have been fired during the 1836 Battle of the Alamo — just three months after making asimilar rare discovery.

The cannonball was discovered on June 2.

The Alamo Trust, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Alamo Mission,announced the discoveryon June 16.

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It was found outside the northeast corner of the Alamo Church, in an adjacent excavation unit where another intact cannonball was unearthed in March.

Pictures show heavy rust covering the newly discovered iron cannonball, which appears orange-brown in color.

Lindley holding cannonball, painting of Battle of the Alamo

Archaeologists in Texas have uncovered a second cannonball that may date to the 1836 Battle of the Alamo.(Alamo Trust;Kean Collection/Getty Images)

Because it was found at roughly the same depth as the first cannonball in a neighboring excavation unit, archaeologists believe it likely remained undisturbed for nearly 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.

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“And that’s what makes them extra special.”

One of the most important conflicts in Texas history, the Battle of the Alamo was fought between Mexican forces and Texian rebels.

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Researchers believe the newly uncovered cannonball may have remained undisturbed for nearly 190 years beneath the historic site.(Alamo Trust;Stock Montage/Getty Images)

Lasting from Feb.23 to Mar.6, 1836, the battle saw Texian forces — including Davy Crockett and William B.Travis — hold off a much larger Mexican army.

The 13-day siege ended with Mexican troops overrunning the Texian defenders, a loss that became a rallying cry for the Texas Revolution.

She said the site has undergone extensive use over the years, including occupation by theU.S.military quartermasterand commercial development around the historic grounds.

“We find what gets left behind, and often that means broken and discarded items.”

“All of that has impacted a significant portion of the underground resources,” said Lindley.

“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 recently found cannonball “isn’t as well-preserved as the first due to the type of metal,” said Lindley.

The first one was made of solid bronze, while the second one is made from solid iron.

Two Alamo cannonballs next to each other

Researchers were surprised to uncover a second cannonball just months after making a similar discovery nearby.(Alamo Trust)

“However, it’s still in pretty good condition,” she added.“We are hoping to sendboth artifactsoff for conservation.”

While the team hopes to find more artifacts related to the Battle of the Alamo, Lindley said the excavation yields dozens of historic finds every day.

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“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.”