SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The remains of three people were found at the Alamo amid an archaeological exploration ahead of planned renovations at the site of one of the most famous battles in American history, state officials said.
The remains of an infant, a teenager or young adult, and an adult were found during archaeological exploration in Alamo church’s monks burial room and nave, the Texas General Land Office said in a news release Friday.
An on-site tribal monitor was notified and excavation was halted in the area of the discovery, according to the office, which operates the Alamo.
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.
During the 1836 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.