Live cannonball from Battle of the Plains of Abraham found in Old Quebec

A cannonball fired by the British during the Battle of the Plains of Abrahamin 1759 has beenunearthed at a building site in Old Quebec.

The rusted, 90-kilogram projectile was unearthed during excavation work last week at the corner of Hamel and Couillard streets and still contained a charge and gunpowder.

The work crew that found the ball pickedit up and gathered around it for photographs, unaware that it was still potentially explosive.

Municipal authorities were contacted, and archeologistSerge Rouleauwas called in.

Rouleau brought the cannonball back to his home, andnoticed it still contained a charge.

A team of army munitions technicians was dispatched from CFBValcartierto collect the ball and neutralize it.

• Battlefield art reflects politics of Plains of Abraham

"With time, humidity got into its interior and reduced its potential for exploding, but there's still a danger," said Master Warrant OfficerSylvain Trudel, a senior munitions technician.

Trudelsaidsuch balls weremeant to set fire to the buildings they penetrated.

"The ball would break and the powder would ignite, setting fire to the building."

Trudel's team removed the cannonball to a safe site, where it will either be rendered harmless or destroyed if there's no other choice.

"Old munitions like this are hard to predict," Trudel said. "You never know to what point the chemicals inside have degraded."

If it can be saved, the relic willbe sent to a museum for display.

At the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759,British forcesdefeated the French and seizedcontrol of Quebec City, setting the stage for their eventual conquest of Canada.

The brief battle cost the lives ofthe British General James Wolfeand the French commander,Gen.Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm.

It's believed the ball was fired at Quebec City fromLvis, across the St. Lawrence River.

• The daring plan that led to the Battle of the Plains of Abraham