An 'Explosive' Piece of History Found

Culloden, Scotland Archaeologists discovered an unexploded cannonball from the bloodiest battle in Scotland's history. According to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), it was located at Culloden Battlefield, just outside Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

The mortar was found during excavations in October 2025, but officials did not announce the discovery until April 16, the date which marked the 280th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden.

In a release, officials explained, "Parts of the battlefield are on boggy ground, and it is thought the shell landed on wet ground and the fuse extinguished before it could ignite the powder."

During examination of the cannonball, which contained remnants of its original plug, officials said that, once the black powder in the shell was exposed, there was a "slight exothermic reaction."

An explosive specialist "safely cleaned out the interior of the shell, preserved samples of the contents for further study, and certified the shell as free from explosive hazard," the release said.

In a statement, the NTS's head of archaeology, Derek Alexander, called the discovery a "remarkable, dare I say, explosive, find of the kind archaeologists dream of, but never expect to encounter."

"Along with the other projectiles recovered, this discovery helps us better understand the formation of troops and concentration of fire during this brief, but brutal, battle," he said.

"The mortars may have been aiming at the Jacobite artillery, so the place where the shell landed may mark the heart of the Culloden battlefield."

NTS reported that the shell was buried nearly a foot underground and that the site remains safe for visitors.