Groundbreaking! Christopher Columbus' remains 'absolutely confirmed' as DNA proof solves 500-year-old mystery
By Shweta Kumari | First Published Oct 12, 2024, 2:15 PM ISTIn a groundbreaking scientific revelation, experts have finally cracked the 500-year-old mystery of Christopher Columbus' elusive burial site. After a painstaking 20-year study, forensic scientists have confirmed "with absolute certainty" that human remains found at Seville Cathedral in Spain belong to the renowned explorer, who passed away in 1506.
In a groundbreaking scientific revelation, experts have finally cracked the 500-year-old mystery of Christopher Columbus' elusive burial site. After a painstaking 20-year study, forensic scientists have confirmed "with absolute certainty" that human remains found at Seville Cathedral in Spain belong to the renowned explorer, who passed away in 1506.
The team utilized advanced DNA analysis to match the remains with known descendants and relatives of Columbus. This monumental discovery comes just in time for the US holiday honoring Columbus, celebrated on the second Monday of October each year, marking his famous 1492 voyage that led to the so-called discovery of the 'New World.'
Latest Videos
Though his voyages cemented him as a historical icon, Columbus’ legacy has long been controversial, particularly due to his harsh treatment of indigenous peoples. His remains, like his reputation, were mired in uncertainty for centuries, with debates swirling over whether he was actually buried in the Dominican Republic. This fueled an ongoing search that has now reached a definitive conclusion.
"Today it has been possible to verify it with new technologies, so that the previous partial theory that the remains of Seville belong to Christopher Columbus has been definitively confirmed," said Miguel Lorente, the forensic scientist leading the research, during a press briefing on Thursday.
Although many experts long believed Columbus was buried within the Seville Cathedral, it wasn't until 2003 that Lorente, alongside historian Marcial Castro, was given the green light to investigate the tomb. To their surprise, they uncovered previously unknown bones inside. At the time, DNA technology wasn't advanced enough to analyze the small samples of genetic material, leaving many questions unanswered—until now.
In this breakthrough, the scientists compared the DNA from the explorer's son Hernando and brother Diego, also buried in the cathedral. The DNA analysis not only confirmed the identity of the remains but also opened the door to another long-standing debate: Columbus' true origins. Was he truly Italian, or could he have hailed from Spain, Poland, or even further afield? Some theories even claim he was Scottish, Catalan, or Jewish.
These answers are expected to come to light in an upcoming documentary, "Columbus DNA: The True Origin," set to air this Saturday on Spain’s national broadcaster, TVE. Though Lorente kept the nationality results close to the chest, he did reveal that their findings are "almost absolutely reliable."
Columbus’ historical voyages changed the course of history, though they did not go as planned. On August 3, 1492, he set sail with three ships—the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria—hoping to chart a new route to Asia’s riches. Instead, on October 12, 1492, he stumbled upon the Bahamas. Mistaking Cuba for mainland China and another landing for Japan, Columbus’ expeditions opened up the Americas to European colonization.
His second voyage in 1493 took him back to the New World, where he landed in Puerto Rico and enslaved many Taino people. This grim chapter in history led to the near-extermination of the Taino population, with about 85% perishing due to violence and diseases brought by the Europeans, including smallpox, measles, and potentially even syphilis.
Although syphilis has long been associated with Columbus’ voyages, a recent study published in Nature suggests that the disease might have already existed in the Americas long before his arrival. DNA evidence from skeletal remains found in Brazil revealed that a syphilis-like illness, known as treponematosis, afflicted inhabitants of the region over 2,000 years ago.
"The fact that the findings represent an endemic type of treponemal diseases, and not sexually transmitted syphilis, leaves the origin of the sexually transmitted syphilis still unsettled," said Kerttu Majander, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Basel.
This new evidence shows that while Columbus might not have brought syphilis to the Americas, his expeditions nonetheless set off a wave of deadly consequences for the indigenous populations. The grim legacy of his voyages continues to echo through history, even as new revelations like these shed light on the complex and controversial figure of Christopher Columbus.
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here. For more reliable and latest news
subscribe to Asianet Newsable Telegram channel by clicking here.