A new scientific study from the University of Granada has unveiled the final resting place of Christopher Columbus, leading to the conclusion that he was both Spanish and Jewish. The findings on this renowned explorer were presented in the documentary 'Columbus DNA: His True Origin,' which recently aired on Spanish public broadcaster TVE.
DNA experts revealed that Columbus was not, as previously believed, a sailor from Genoa, but rather from a family of Jewish silk spinners in Valencia, Spain. The research suggests that Columbus concealed his Jewish heritage, posing as a Roman Catholic Christian to evade widespread antisemitism and persecution in Spain and across Europe.
This groundbreaking discovery is the result of two decades of investigation spearheaded by Antonio Lorente, a professor of legal and forensic medicine at the University of Granada. In the documentary, Professor Lorente declared the findings to be 'almost absolutely reliable,' citing DNA evidence from both Christopher Columbus and his son, Hernando Colón.
Countries have long debated Columbus's origins, with numerous theories placing his birthplace in Poland, Greece, Portugal, France, and Hungary, among others. However, these latest conclusions have been met with skepticism. Antonio Alonso, the former director of Spain’s National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, expressed reservations about the documentary's scientific rigor, noting that no data from the DNA analysis was presented.
'Columbus DNA: His True Origin' premiered on Saturday on Spanish public broadcaster TVE.
