Forensic scientists in Spain identify remains of Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes
Forensic scientists in Madrid believe they have found the tomb of famed author Miguel de Cervantes. Cervantes, who wrote The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, was buried in 1616, but his coffin was lost.
The researchers used radar, infrared cameras, and 3D scanners to locate the burial crypt below Madrid's Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians, and found bones believed to be those of Cervantes and his wife.
The remains aren't in good condition, but the scientists believe they are Cervantes', since the location matches historical accounts of Cervantes' death. The scientists hope that DNA analysis will allow them to separate Cervantes' remains from the others found at the site.
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At a press conference Tuesday, investigator Luis Avial said that Cervantes will be reburied in a new tomb in the convent. "Cervantes asked to be buried there, and there he should stay," Avial said. The crypt will be opened for public visits next year, to mark the 400th anniversary of the author's death.
