Posted on 03/11/2006 11:30:40 AM PST by blam
Columbus mystery nearly solved 500 years after death
By Phil Stewart
Fri Mar 10, 11:30 AM ET
ROME (Reuters) - Nearly 500 years after the death of Christopher Columbus, a team of genetic researchers are using DNA to solve two nagging mysteries: Where was the explorer really born? And where the devil are his bones?
Debate about origins and final resting place of Columbus has raged for over a century, with historians questioning the traditional theory that he hails from Genoa, Italy. Some say he was a Spanish Jew, a Greek, a Basque or Portuguese.
Even the location of his remains is the subject of controversy. The Dominican Republic and Spain both stake claims as the final resting place of Columbus, who died in May, 1506.
The Spanish-led research team, which includes Italians, Americans and Germans, sampled DNA from the known remains from Columbus' brother and son, and then compared them to fragments attributed to Columbus in Seville.
Although the official announcement is expected later this year, Italian researchers say they are confident based on the evidence gathered so far that Columbus' supposed remains in Seville are likely authentic.
"We have already started all of the analyses on a molecular level and we have good indications that the remains in Seville are effectively those of Christopher," said Olga Rickards, head of the team at Rome's Tor Vergata University laboratory.
If confirmed, it could lay to rest a dispute dating back to 1877, when Dominican workers found a lead casket buried behind the altar in Santo Domingo's cathedral containing a collection of bone fragments the country says belong to Columbus.
The bones should have left the island for Cuba in 1795 and then been sent along Spain a century later.
But the casket was inscribed with the words "Illustrious and distinguished male, Don Cristobal Colon" - the Spanish rendering of Christopher Columbus.
"Nobody knows (about the Dominican remains) ... because they haven't yet allowed DNA analysis," Rickards told Reuters.
COTTON SWABS FOR COLOMBO
Little is known about the early life of Columbus, the reputed son of a weaver in Genoa who would later change the world by accidentally stumbling upon the Americas in 1492.
With so many different theories about his origin, the DNA researchers hope to settle the matter once and for all by obtaining genetic samples from Europeans with the name Columbus.
In Italy, the researchers sent letters to modern-day "Colombo" men asking them to use cotton swabs to sample saliva from inside their mouths.
"We sent out 250 letters ... and we have already received 16 positive responses," Rickards told Reuters.
The Spanish had sampled less than 150 people, she said.
"If we're lucky, we might have a result by May, which is the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' death," she said.
Genoa's mayor, Giuseppe Pericu, joked to a newspaper that Columbus would wind up being "Genovese" -- one way or another.
"If it turns out that Columbus wasn't Genovese, we'll make him an honorary citizen," he said.
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It's about time...but think of all the money making operations using his name that will lose credibility when the truth comes out. I for one believe this:
http://www.grecoreport.com/christopher_columbus.htm
His bones are in Al Capone's vault, of course!
Interesting. Thanks!
Ask Geraldo.
You are welcome.
BTW----I love your "Abajo Fidel"---you probably heard about what happened in Puerto Rico, right?
They make him sound like a bumbling fool. How about:
Columbus, who's visionary dreams of a global world were temporarily interrupted by the barrier of the 'new world'...
A very subtle clue that the average person wouldn't notice.
Mmmmmmmmm, genoa salami, crunchy Italian bread, some hard "grating cheese" and some good red wine. :) Ahhh, life is good. Ciao. :)
Yeah, I'm surprised Geraldo wasn't there with his video camera to film all of this.
A very subtle clue that the average person wouldn't notice.
Wouldn't it be better translated as: "Illustrious and distinguished male gentleman, Don Cristobal Colon", since his name is prefaced with the title "Don" [a.k.a. Lord/Sir]?
A Jew named Christopher? I'm suprised no one's claiming he was black.
A jew named Christopher?
If one were serious about studying the subject, short of a formal university multiyear program, which is the easiest way to begin learning in depth?
Say at the informed adult level in undestandable English?
Somewhat. He was quite the explorer already. His mission this time was to find a route to India (they say China in public school) that went around the supremely annoying Arabs.
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I have no idea.
But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express™ last night.
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