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Will DNA Tests Solve the Riddle?

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Will DNA Tests Solve the Riddle? CATALONIA TODAY C4 SPECIAL REPORT THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2006 Will DNA tests solve the riddle? MIQUEL RIERA DNA samples have been taken from 215 Catalans and 100 Italians to for a few more weeks, at least until G More than 215 men with the compare the results with the genetic make-up of Columbus’ bones late June, before any announce- surname Colom from around ment is made. Lorente and his Catalonia have given samples of team originally announced that saliva during the past few months the results would be made public in order for their DNA to be de- to coincide with the 500th anni- termined, and for the resulting versary of Columbus' death, but information to be used in an in- the work has been beset by delays, vestigation seeking to prove especially the job of collecting scientifically whether Chris- samples in Italy, where a there has topher Columbus came from a been a general reticence towards family of Genoa nobles, as the of- taking part in the project, Lorente ficial theory goes, or whether he reported. was born in the Kingdom of Ara- In the first episode of the Dis- gon, as others claim. covery Channel documentary The DNA sampling from the (the second part will be broadcast Catalans has been organised by at the end of this year or in early the Centre d'Estudis Columbins. Samples have only been taken from people who could trace Samples have only been taken The genetic from those able to samples are now trace their being analysed in Catalan ancestry five different back five laboratories generations Left: José Antonio Lorente, at work in the Laboratorio de Identificación Genetica at Granada University/ARCHIVE their Catalan ancestry back five 2007) we saw experts from the generations, and who had no A scientist’s warning bus came from a family in Genoa, project is a "poisoned boomer- University of Granada trying to family connections with each However, Lorente and his team but not the Colombos; he be- ang" with respect to proving Col- extract genetic material from the other. "This is a very important have warned that they might not lieves he was from the Colonne umbus' Catalan origins. "There is little more than 150 grams of project that has been very diffi- be able to come to any concrete family from Liguria. an enormous amount of confu- bones, supposedly those of cult to carry out", says the re- conclusion. This would support The possibility that the analysis sion surrounding the Columbus Christopher Columbus, that are searcher Francesc Albardener. the ideas of other researchers, might rule out the idea of a Cata- remains in Seville", he says. "We stored in Seville cathedral. The such as Alfonso Enseñat de Villa- lan Columbus concern Jordi Bil- are playing with fire." lack of material that the re- Checking the chromosomes longa, who claims that Colum- beny, who says that the whole In any case, we will have to wait searchers to call for assistance The 215 Catalan samples, to- from the Orchid Centre in Dallas, gether with 100 taken from Ita- an organisation that became fa- lian men, are now being analysed "I don’t understand the official version of mous for identifying the victims in the laboratories of five univer- of the September 11 attacks on sities–Granada, Santiago de Columbus’ life", says American researcher the World Trade Center. Compostela, Barcelona, Roma 3, Max Plant in Berlin and the Or- G Charles J. Merryl is a lecturer Catalonia in the 15th century, Brotherhood proved chid Center in Dallas. at Mount St. Marys college in and everything Catalan. When A few weeks ago, José Antonio The results will be compared Maryland, in the United States. I read for the first time, in the Lorente announced the results of with the DNA that was extracted Merrill, who speaks and writes 1970s, the books written in the the first research phase, which from the remains of Christopher perfectly in Catalan, and has 1920s and 1930s on the theory appear to have proved that Chris- and Ferdinand Columbus in studied the links between Tar- that Columbus was a Catalan, I topher and Diego Columbus 2004. "We want to work out the roja (Segarra) and Columbus, began wondering why I didn't were in fact brothers. "In the frag- genetic variability and the Y worked on the Discovery know anything about a theory ments of blank DNA, there is a chromosome characteristics of Channel documentary that ar- that was so fascinating and well material that we inherit from people with the surnames Colom gued Columbus was Catalan. based, and which referred to a some others, and which contains and Colombo in the areas being —Why has the official ver- Merryl is a specialist in subject that I had read a lot an absolute identity, something analysed, and to deduce from this sion of history not taken this Catalonia and Columbus/C.M. about, which was the history of that proves they are brothers", the relation that they may have theory seriously? America, and the Spain of the said Lorente. Thus, the scientist with the Y chromosome of Chris- "For reasons that are difficult "Yes. But more Catalan, Cas- Middle Ages. I'm convinced claims, the remains in the cathe- topher and Ferdinand Colum- to understand, for a foreigner. I tilian, Portuguese and Italian that the links between the dral of Seville have been proved bus", says Professor José Antonio find the official historical ap- scholars should be working on Barcelona Coloms and the Seg- beyond reasonable doubt to be Lorente, from the Laboratorio de proach towards this subject it to reach an acceptable con- arra ones, and their partici- those of Christopher Columbus, Identificación Genetica at Gra- very strange." clusion." pation in the war against Joan the man who discovered the New nada University. Lorente is also —Do you think we are close —How did you first become II explain why Columbus and World. one of the promoters of the re- to finally demonstrating that interested in Columbus and the monarchy did not want to search project, which was publi- the discoverer of America was Catalonia? reveal his true Catalan iden- cised in 2004 by the Discovery a Catalan? Because I was interested in tity." Channel program Enigma Colón..
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