Spanish scientists in Madrid are set to unveil the results of DNA analysis that will reveal the true nationality of 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus. The findings will put an end to centuries-old debates surrounding Columbus’ origins and final resting place.
Historians have long disputed the traditional belief that Columbus was from Genoa, Italy, with alternative theories suggesting he may have been Spanish, Jewish, Greek, Basque, or Portuguese. To put an end to the speculation, researchers led by forensic expert Miguel Lorente have conducted DNA tests on samples of remains from Seville Cathedral, where Columbus was believed to have been buried.
The results of the DNA analysis will be presented in a documentary titled “Columbus DNA: The true origin” on Spain’s national broadcaster TVE. While the conclusions have not been revealed yet, Lorente confirmed that the remains in Seville do indeed belong to Columbus.
Despite the complexity of the research due to the large amount of data involved, Lorente expressed confidence in the reliability of the outcome. Columbus, who died in Valladolid, Spain in 1506, had requested to be buried on the island of Hispaniola, now shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. His remains were later moved to Cuba before being believed to have been relocated to Seville in 1898.
In 1877, a lead casket containing bone fragments believed to belong to Columbus was discovered in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Lorente suggested that both sets of bones could be authentic as they were incomplete.
