Man finds Civil War relic in yard, bomb squad takes a closer look and says it's dangerous!

MARIETTA, Ga. - A Marietta man made quite a find in his own yard, a relic from the Civil War.  While it was an interesting find, it was also dangerous.

Marietta Police showed up in the neighborhood, not far from Kennesaw Mountain Monday morning. Investigators determined the shell was still active.

"The one that was found today was deemed to be a live ordinance, meaning it still had the potential to explode," said Amy Reed with the Marietta Museum of History.

 Reed says it's a Hotchkiss shell dating back to the Civil War.

"I believe it was a Union artillery shell. It did have some rifling in the barrel so when it was shot out, it would spin to give it a little more accuracy," said Reed.

Reed says it's always interesting to find relics dating back more than 150 years like this one, but said there's also always a potential for danger.

"Old gunpowder is very volatile," said Reed.

Marietta police said if you uncover an old Civil War or WWI relic, it's no cause for panic, but you should call 911, just to make sure it's something that won't explode.