Columbus not to blame for syphilis in Europe, says expert
October 26th, 2010 - 4:10 pm ICT by IANSLondon, Oct 26 (IANS) Christopher Columbus and his crew have long been blamed for bringing the sexually transmitted disease syphilis from the Americas to Europe after their historic first voyage.
In 1493 they returned to Spain bringing news of lands across the Atlantic and the first cases of the potentially deadly disease thanks to their exploits abroad, it was believed.
But now scientists have found evidence that the disease existed in Europe long before Columbus was even born.
Skeletons unearthed in a cemetery at a church in East London show signs of the disease up to two centuries before the explorer first set sail, reports the Daily Mail.
Archaeologists excavating bones from St. Mary Spital in East London found rough patches on skulls and limbs of some of the skeletons, telling evidence of syphilis.
Brian Connell, an expert from the Museum of London who studied the bones, said he had no doubt that the skeletons were buried before Columbus’ voyage. Radiocarbon dating of the samples is estimated to be 95 percent accurate.
Previous findings of early syphilitic bones have been inconclusive.
“We’re confident that Christopher Columbus is simply not a feature of the emergence and timing of the disease in Europe,” Connell told The Times. “This puts the nail in the coffin of the Columbus theory.”
Two of the syphilitic skeletons unearthed at St Mary Spital are from 1200-1250 while
the other five are from 1250-1400.
- Vatican loans Cuba historic artefact - Jan 28, 2012
- First Americans 'reached Europe 500 years before Columbus voyages' - Nov 17, 2010
- Christopher Columbus was Polish, not Portuguese: Historian - Nov 30, 2010
- Migrants introduced farming in Europe 5,000 years ago: Study - Apr 27, 2012
- Rising threat of 'Syphilis' cases haunt China - Jun 22, 2010
- 2,000-yr-old intact female skeleton with gray hair discovered in China - Nov 25, 2010
- Neanderthal burial ground suggests they practiced funeral rituals - Apr 21, 2011
- 1,000-yr-old Viking massacre remains unearthed in Oxford - Nov 08, 2010
- Where exactly did Columbus set sail from? - Apr 06, 2010
- Scientists trace violent death of Iron Age man - Mar 29, 2011
- Roman settlement unearthed at Cambridge college - Sep 23, 2010
- Sharing needles may play major role in transmission of syphilis - Apr 29, 2010
- John Paul II beatification ceremony begins - May 01, 2011
- 1700-yr-old Stratford-upon-Avon African skeleton found was Roman troop - Jan 26, 2011
- Vladimir Lenin 'died from syphilis, not stroke' - Oct 23, 2009
Tags: archaeologists, bringing news, christopher columbus, columbus voyage, connell, daily mail, deadly disease, east london, first voyage, london show, museum of london, nail in the coffin, no doubt, radiocarbon, rough patches, set sail, skeletons, skulls, st mary spital, syphilis