Archaeologists find remains of THREE people beneath monks’ burial room and church nave at the Alamo during renovations at historic site
- Archaeologists have discovered the remains of three bodies at the Alamo site
- The finds were made during excavations of the Alamo monks’ burial room and the nave of the church
- The Alamo is the site of one of the most famous battles in American history
- Nearly 200 Alamo defenders were killed in March 1836 in a battle with Mexico
The remains of three people have been found by archaeologists at the Alamo ahead of a planned renovation of the historic battleground site.
The body of an infant, a teenager and an adult were found during exploration of the monks’ burial room and the church nave, the Texas General Land Office said.
An on-site tribal monitor was notified and excavation was halted in the area of the discovery, according to the office.
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of three bodies at the historic Alamo site
The finds were made during excavations of the Alamo monks’ burial room and the nave of the church. Pictured: The excavation of the monks’ burial room
Experts were working around the Alamo church to install moisture monitoring equipment and locate the foundations of the 300-year old structure when they made the discoveries.
‘The remains encountered appear to be indicative of a teenage or young adult, infant, and large adult,’ explained the Texas General Land Office and the Alamo Mission Archaeological Advisory Committee in a statement.
‘Upon discovery of the remains, the long-established human remains protocol was activated, the on-site tribal monitor was notified, and excavation of the particular site was halted.’
The Texas General Land Office said that while photos of the excavation project have been released, no pictures of the remains will be released out of respect for the deceased.
The remains of an infant, a teenager and an adult were found during archaeological exploration in Alamo church’s monks burial room and nave, the Texas General Land Office said
The remains of an infant, a teenager and an adult were found during archaeological exploration in Alamo church’s monks burial room and nave
The announcement comes after the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation filed a federal lawsuit in September seeking to halt the $450 million makeover of the sacred shrine that’s on track to be completed by 2024.
The group wants a say in what happens to unearthed human remains because many of its are descendants of people who lived near the site.
Remains were also found at the site in San Antonio in 1995 and 1989.
In 2016 archaeologists digging near the Alamo unearthed the broken tip of a Mexican soldier’s sword that may have been used in the famous 1836 battle.
During the Battle of the Alamo, nearly 200 defenders died following a 13-day battle with Mexican forces led by General Santa Anna.
The dead included legendary American frontiersmen David Crockett and Jim Bowie. Historians believe most of the bodies of the vanquished were burned.
The Alamo is one of the top destinations for Americans taking road trips, according to a recent survey.
During the Battle of the Alamo, nearly 200 defenders died following a 13-day battle with Mexican forces led by General Santa Anna. Historians believe most of the bodies of those who died were burned (Pictured, illustration of The Siege Of The Alamo from the late 19th Century)