In an important discovery, the DNA analysis of 500-year-old human bones found in the Seville Cathedral in Spain has revealed that they belong to the famous explorer Christopher Columbus. This revelation took two decades to be declared because of lack of advanced DNA technology. DNA samples of Columbus’ remains were compared with those of his descendants to confirm that the remains belonged to the explorer and that he was buried in the Seville Cathedral.

The explorer had died in 1506 and at that time it was believed that he was buried in the Dominican Republic.

Forensic scientist Miguel Lorente and historian Marcial Castro had opened the tomb in Seville Cathedral in 2003 where bones had been earlier found. But because of the lack of technology it had not been possible to analyse the small amounts of genetic material. For two decades experts studied the DNA samples and the new technology made the identification possible.

The researchers studied the bones of his son Diego and his brother Bartholomew who were also buried in the Seville Cathedral and matched their DNA to find they perfectly matched.

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer well known for his maritime expeditions who explored the Americas under the flag of Spain and whose voyages across the Atlantic opened the way for European colonisation.