Wars may be a vital part of history, but they mostly remain in books. In the rare moments when evidence such as tools and weapons materializes, humanity is shocked by its past.
Currently, something similar has happened with archaeologists who discovered a cannonball that may have been fired during the Battle of the Alamo in 1836.On June 2, 2026, the team found the cannonball just three months after a similar discovery before, near the Alamo Church in San Antonio. The Alamo Trust, a nonprofit organization that oversees the Alamo’s mission, announced the discovery on June 16, 2026.
It was found outside the northeast corner of the Alamo Church, in an adjacent excavation unit where another intact bronze cannonball was discovered in March.The images reveal a heavy crust covering the newly discovered iron cannonball, which appears orange and brown. Since it was found at the same depth as the first cannonball found in a nearby excavation unit, archaeologists believe it likely remained untouched for approximately 190 years.
“Whenever it was brought down, the first time — probably in 1836 — it hasn’t been touched since,” Tiffany Lindley, the Alamo’s director of archeology, said in a press release. “That’s what makes them so special.”
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo is considered one of the most important conflicts in Texas history.
The Battle of the Alamo is considered one of the most important conflicts in Texas history. Fighting between Mexican forces and Texas rebels lasted from February 23 to March 6, 1836.
The battle saw Texan forces including Davy Crockett and William B. Travis fend off a much larger Mexican army. The 13-day siege ended with Mexican forces overrunning the Texan defenders and killing 180 of them, a loss that sparked the Texas Revolution to seek independence from Mexico.
Evidence of history
On June 2, 2026, the team found the cannonball just three months after a similar discovery before, near the Alamo Church in San Antonio.
They told the media that searchers were surprised to find the second cannon shell. The site has been subject to extensive use over the years, including occupation by a US military quartermaster and commercial development around the historic grounds.“All of this has affected a large portion of the underground resources,” Lindley said. “Finding one cannon shell, and then following it up two months later with a second one was very surprising.”The Alamo has yielded numerous pieces of ammunition, weapon fragments, and battlefield debris over decades of archaeological work. Cannonballs stand out because they are completely solid shot, spherical projectiles fired from cannons.
Historians believe that the bronze projectile most likely belonged to the Mexican army, while the iron projectile was associated with Texan defenders. Since the cannonballs were found close together, historians believe they could represent evidence of artillery fire being exchanged between opposing sides during the siege.“We find dozens of exciting historical artifacts every day, along with hundreds of artifacts that might not be so exciting, like nails and bricks,” Lindley said.That’s thanks to the Alamo Trust, a nonprofit organization that manages the restoration site and has announced a $700 million renovation project to preserve the Alamo’s original permanent buildings including the Alamo Church, Long Barrack, and battlefield. In addition, the site will undergo construction of a new visitor center and museum, which is expected to open in the spring of 2028 and will feature artifacts from the battle.
