Stonington ― A previously-fired artillery was discovered and removed from a field on Sunday afternoon, though it’s not clear how the old piece of ordnance came to rest in the lot, police said.

Stonington police were dispatched at approximately 1:20 p.m. to 189 Elm St. after the property owner reported finding what appeared to be 12-inch artillery shell in a field, Deputy Chief Todd Olsen said on Monday.

Olson said the state police’s Fire and Explosive Investigative Unit was called in and arrived shortly after 2 p.m.

“They X-rayed the round and determined it had been previously fired,” Olson said. “This was a field that was being cleared and the (round) had likely been driven over and moved.”

Olsen said the bomb squad placed the expended shell into a protective bag and removed it for disposal. State police confirmed Monday the round was not live.

Olson said he was not sure the age of the round, only that it appeared “very old.”