The centuries-old mystery of Christopher Columbus's origins may soon be revealed.
Spanish scientists have confirmed through DNA analysis that Columbus's remains are indeed buried in a tomb in Seville Cathedral in Spain. The discovery resolves long-standing debates regarding his final resting place. In addition, the question of the nationality of the discoverer of America may be finally resolved.
This is reported by the New York Post.
Led by forensic expert Miguel Lorente, researchers analyzed tiny samples of the remains from Seville, comparing them with the remains of famous relatives of Christopher Columbus.
The findings of their study will be made public in a documentary called “Columbus' DNA: The Real Origins,” which will be broadcast by Spain's national broadcaster TVE.
While Lorente did not reveal the final results during a recent briefing, he said that modern technology has definitively confirmed that the remains in Seville belong to Columbus.
He acknowledged the problems with researching Columbus's nationality due to the large amount of data involved, but noted that the results were “almost completely reliable.”
Columbus is traditionally believed to have been from Genoa, Italy, but alternative theories suggest he may have been a Spanish Jew, Greek, Basque, or Portuguese.
Columbus's remains have a complex history of movement.
He died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506, but wanted to be buried in Hispaniola, now the Dominican Republic and Haiti. His remains were taken to Cuba in 1795, and were later believed to have been moved to Seville in 1898.
However, some evidence suggests that parts of his remains may still be in the Caribbean, as bone fragments believed to be Columbus's were found in a lead coffin in Santo Domingo in 1877.
Recall that a researcher into the world's most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper, believes he has exposed him, and even created an image of what he may have looked like.
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