The cannonball found at the Alamo may be related to the 1836 Battle of Texas

Archaeologists discovered A Historic artillery shell at the Alamo – An artifact likely fired during the 1836 battle.

The discovery was announced by the Alamo Trust, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Alamo’s mission, on March 19.

The cannonball was unveiled on March 5, just one day before the 190th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo.

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The clash between Mexican forces and Texas rebels began on February 23, 1836.

Texan forces—including Davy Crockett and William B. Travis—fended off a much larger Mexican army during a 13-day siege before Mexican forces launched a final assault.

Archaeologists at the Alamo have discovered a historic cannonball believed to date from the pivotal 1836 battle between Mexican forces and Texan defenders. (MPI/Getty Images; Alamo Trust)

Nearly 200 Texan defenders were killed when Mexican forces overran the Alamo—and “Remember the Alamo!” The cry helped fuel a decisive Texas victory weeks later at San Jacinto.

The cannonball, which was found about three feet underground outside the Alamo Church, weighed four pounds.

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Researchers also found four explosive shot fragments – three bronze and one iron – that were identified as howitzer shells designed to explode on impact and scatter fragments.

Archaeologists also discovered four explosive shot fragments, including three bronze pieces and an iron piece linked to the 1836 battle. (Alamo Trust)

The cannonball is made of solid bronze and is “very likely” related to the historic battle, said Tiffany Lindley, director of archeology at the Alamo.

Lindley told Fox News Digital that the cannonball was found in a layer dating back to 1930. Siegeas the Mexican Army bombarded the Texan forces from an artillery battery on the northeast side of the complex.

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She stressed that the importance of the artifact lies in its status as the only solid bullet – or non-explosive cannon shell – of its size found at the site.

The artifact is the only solid shot of this size ever found at the Alamo, according to archaeologists at the site. (Alamo Trust)

“Due to the extensive use of the site after the battle, the looting of the site in the period immediately after the battle, and the installation of earlier facilities, many artifacts — especially large ones — were moved from the site,” Lindley said.

“Once an artifact is removed from its original deposition, it loses its context, and becomes less important to researchers. … The context of this solid snapshot is what makes the find important.”

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Researchers will be on site Cannonball analysis Once the field work is finished, the cannonball may be displayed in the future.

“We hope that as our archaeological project progresses we will find a place to display the cannonball at the site – and perhaps even in our future world-class Alamo Visitor Center and Museum“It is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2028,” Lindley said.

“Although not every artifact will find its way onto public display, they all contribute to expanding the story of the Alamo,” Lindley said. (Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The expert added that the cannonball joins more than 250,000 artifacts found at the site, which mostly include ceramic pieces, rifle balls, mud brick floor fragments, and glass bottles.

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“Although not every artifact will find its way onto public display, they all contribute to expanding the story of the Alamo,” she noted.