Researchers in Spain have discovered what is believed to be the centuries-old remains of celebrated Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes beneath the foundations of a convent, reports revealed Tuesday.
Cervantes, author of "Don Quixote," died in 1616 and was buried upon his request in the Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians in Madrid. But in the late 1600s his coffin was moved to another building when the convent was rebuilt, eventually becoming lost, according to the BBC.
Using infrared cameras and ground-penetrating radar, scientists last April were able to determine the location of the long-forgotten crypt believed to have housed the beloved author's remains for some 400 years. His wife and a few others history says were buried with Cervantes were also found.
Experts, however, remain cautious about confirming the remains found in the coffin with the initials "M.C." as belonging to Miguel de Cervantes.
"The remains are in a bad state of conservation and do not allow us to do an individual identification of Miguel de Cervantes," Almudena Garcia Rubio, a forensic scientist, told the BBC.
"But we are sure what the historical sources say is the burial of Miguel de Cervantes and the other people buried with him is what we have found."
Scientists' only hope is to now use DNA testing to determine which of the 15 skeletons found in the crypt belong to the writer. But even that may be wishful thinking- Cervantes has no known descendants.
"Right now, we don't have any DNA possibilities to compare to," forensic anthropologist Francisco Etxeberria told The Guardian on Tuesday.
Cervantes' life was marred by warfare and tragedy, all of which unfolded before completing his masterpiece "The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha," the tale of a foolishly-romantic man with an appetite for heroic endeavors, in 1615.
Born in Madrid in 1547, Cervantes was not even 25 when he took a bullet to the chest during the Battle of Lepanto. He was then abducted by pirates in 1575 and held captive in Algeria for five years before the convent helped secure his release.
Cervantes died in 1616 at age 68. At the time he is believed to have had only six teeth left.
"His end was that of a poor man. A war veteran with his battle wounds," Pedro Corral, head of art, sport and tourism for Madrid's city council, told the BBC.
Officials hope to give Cervantes a proper burial in a new tomb and open the crypt to the public next year.
