About 450 medieval cannonballs have been discovered at a building site in Belgium
The city said in a recent press release that the discovery was made before an administrative center was built in Newport.
The city said in a translated statement that the research “has already yielded very valuable discoveries that may shed more light on an important chapter in Newport’s history.”
Images from the excavations show dozens of stone cannonballs stacked together, as well as exposed brickwork and layers of soil that shed light on the city’s medieval past.
Nieuwpoort is a coastal city in western Belgium Close to the French border. It was founded in the 12th century and has nearly 1,000 years of history beneath its surface.
Archaeologists in Belgium have discovered hundreds of medieval artillery shells during excavations ahead of a planned administrative building project in Nieuwpoort. (Newport City)
About 450 artillery shells were found in total.
They date back to between 1350 and 1600 AD, and were likely launched from catapults or catapults.
“As far as we know, this is the first (such a discovery) in Flanders and perhaps in the whole world.”
“The high degree of standardization and quality of finish indicates that it was likely intended for firearms,” the city noted.
“It is worth noting that the difference in sizes indicates a very diverse arsenal.”
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Archaeologists also found an intact shell from World War I, along with… Underground traces of medieval activityAs well as the levels of walls and floors.
“The site’s proximity to the city hall and the bell tower, which has been there since the 13th century, makes these findings particularly important,” officials said.
A large cache of stone artillery shells dating back to between 1350 and 1600 AD was discovered under the surface of the historic Belgian city. (Newport City)
“It is still too early to draw definitive conclusions about the precise function and history of these structures. Further analysis of the finds and additional dating efforts are expected to provide more.”
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Alexandre Doucet, fieldwork coordinator at archaeological firm Van Vuuren Group, told Fox News Digital that archaeologists had completed excavations as of early April.
The archaeologists plan to spend up to two years analyzing the data and samples before compiling their findings into a final report.
“For now, archaeologists have taken the shells with them for further examination.”
Doucet described the discovery as “very unusual” – especially since a large cache was found in one place.
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“As far as we know, this is the first time In Flanders “And perhaps the whole world,” the archaeologist said.
While why they were placed there remains a mystery, Doucet said the shells may have been disposed of in a basement that needed to be filled.
Archaeologists also discovered remains of walls and floor levels, indicating significant medieval activity at the site. (Newport City)
“For now, archaeologists have taken the shells with them for further examination,” he added.
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“After that’s done, the owner of the shells, the city of Newport, can decide what to do with them. The archaeologists will make recommendations for displaying the shells as a whole.”
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