Please contact me, because I think you guys may be able to help me out with something.

Yesterday, a good friend of mine gave me a little gift - a partially exploded (dud) cannonball.  He found it while running a trencher in the hills between Buellton and Lompoc, CA, within a few miles of LaParisima Mission (1600's).  He was walking the trench and saw something peculiar in the trench wall, about six feet below the surface.  Talk about luck - the trencher just missed it, but left it exposed.

It's pretty much intact, though a bit oblong from the force of impact.  It's about 3" X 4", with a 1.5" "blast out" spot.  Was probably about 3.5" original diameter.

What I'm trying to figure out is whether it's from the Conquistadors 300+ years ago, or from when General Fremont was running around these parts fighting the Spanish for CA (1820s/1830s).

It is known that the Conquistadors used cannon to scare the Indians into submission.  Other cannonballs from that era have been found in the area, but are not displayed at the local Missions (presumeably because they want to depict the Missions as good, friendly things, instead of the reality of converting the Indians....into slave labor).

But it's also known that Fremont did battle in the area, and legend has it that there is a light cannon that he used buried in these parts.

So is this thing 300-400 years old, or ~175?  I suspect the former, simply because of the depth at which it is was found.  Any thoughts while we wait?

Any help will be appreciated.  Pardon my laziness in having done no research as yet on my own.  Just looking for a "short cut".

I'm looking to sell it, as I have no real use for it.  I could donate it to one of the local Missions (3 within 30 miles), but strongly suspect that they'll either hide it away, or sell it themselves (so why bother?).  Any market for such a thing?

My friend has no problem with me selling it, as it was a gift in reciprication for some business help I provided.

TIA,

SGE