DNA analysis helped to solve a centuries-old mystery: scientists have established the true origin of the traveler Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus, an explorer and discoverer of the Americas, was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe. Spanish scientists have established this fact by analyzing DNA samples of the remains buried in the Cathedral of Seville in Spain, which the authorities have long designated as the final resting place of the traveler.

They reported the results of their work in the documentary "Columbus' DNA: The True Origin", which was broadcast on the Spanish TV channel TVE, writes Reuters. In this way, the researchers put an end to centuries of debate about the origin and final burial place of the explorer.

According to the traditional theory, Columbus was from Genoa, Italy. According to other versions, he belonged to either Spanish Jews, Greeks, Basques, Portuguese, or British.

However, the researchers have now completed a 22-year investigation led by forensic expert Miguel Lorente. To solve the mystery, they tested tiny samples of the remains buried in Seville Cathedral.

"We have Christopher Columbus' DNA, very partial, but sufficient. We have the DNA of Hernando Colon, his son. In both the Y chromosome (male) and mitochondrial DNA (passed down by his mother), Hernando has features compatible with Jewish ancestry," Lorente said, calling the result "almost absolutely reliable."

Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506, but asked to be buried on the island of Hispaniola, which is now shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The traveler's remains were transported there in 1542. In 1795, they were reburied in Cuba, and in 1898 - in Seville.

History tells us that about 300,000 Jews lived in Spain before the Catholic monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand gave Jews and Muslims a choice: convert to the Catholic faith or leave the country. Many of them settled all over the world. The word "Sephardic" comes from "Sepharad," which means "Spain" in Hebrew.

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