Construction workers in the United Kingdom became archeologists in February when they discovered a 300-year-old piece of history.
The artifact was a cannon believed to be from the late 17th to early 18th century, and it was found in Kingston upon Hull, Fox News reported Monday.
Archeologists working with Humber Field Archeology examined the piece, which weighs over a ton and was encrusted with dirt and corrosion. In its announcement about the find, the Hull City Council said, “Initial observations indicate the cannon had been decommissioned, with the nozzle deliberately capped,” adding that archeologists believe it was repurposed as a mooring post.
Images show the incredible find:
The technical term for “mooring post” is bollard, and they have an interesting history, according to Historic UK:
After the defeat of the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the British started to strip the French boats and reuse anything of value. When it came to the cannons however, it was found that they were too large to be retrofitted onto British ships. Determined to find a way to flaunt their victory over the French, the British decided instead to use them as street bollards throughout the East End of London.
This idea proved so popular that after the original cannons had all been used, replicas were made and these started to adorn more and more London streets. They continue to be made today, with their distinctive shape being an iconic feature of London’s streets.
Watch the video to learn more about the locations and history of bollards:
CR Reynolds construction worker Jon Jacobs was digging in preparation to install a water storage tank when he found the cannon, Smithsonian Magazine reported in February.
“I’ve never dug up anything like this. The main things you dig up are small bottles, bits and bobs like that, just junk, but not really anything as significant as this,” he said.
Hull, a port city about 200 miles north of London, was at one time the biggest in the United Kingdom. Crews at the site had been working on a restoration project at a park known as Queen’s Gardens when they found the cannon.
Peter Connelly, who is the archaeology manager for Humber Field Archaeology, told Fox, “This discovery just goes to show that people will deposit anything in a conveniently large hole in the ground when it is being backfilled,” noting the find was “definitely very rare.”
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