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Archaeologists Unearth Echo of Culloden's Fury
14 Apr
Summary
- An unexploded mortar shell was discovered on the Culloden battlefield.
- The shell is believed to be from the 1746 Battle of Culloden.
- Over 100 other projectiles were also found during the dig.

Nearly three centuries after the Battle of Culloden, archaeologists have unearthed an unexploded mortar shell on the historic battlefield near Inverness. This significant discovery is thought to originate from one of the Coehorn mortars used by government troops during the conflict on April 16, 1746.
The shell, found during a dig last year and subsequently made safe, is being revealed just ahead of the 280th anniversary of the battle. The Battle of Culloden marked a bloody end to the Jacobite risings, with around 1,600 Jacobite soldiers killed compared to minimal government casualties.
Last year's excavations also yielded over 100 additional projectiles, including lead musket balls and cannon shot. Experts describe the discovery of the unexploded ordnance as a remarkable find, the kind archaeologists rarely expect to encounter, highlighting its historical significance.