Archaeologists have uncovered the bones of the ninth-century bishop who helped create the Camino de Santiago, making him the oldest identified historical figure in Spain.
The remains were initially found in 1955 in a grave in northwestern Spain. Multiple studies of the bones have yielded wildly conflicting findings. The first concluded that they belonged to an elderly man. Decades later, another study claimed that they belonged to a woman in her 50s. New analysis is much more specific. It suggests that they belong to Bishop Teodomiro of Iria Flavia.
According to legend, Teodomiro discovered the tomb of the apostle St. James in Santiago de Compostela. A hermit told him about a shower of bright stars; when Teodomiro went to investigate, he found the tomb. After St. James died in Jerusalem, two of his disciples are said to have taken his remains to northwestern Spain.
Origin of the Camino de Santiago
When King Alfonso II heard of the discovery, he and his court marched from Oviedo to Santiago, creating a 146-kilometre pilgrimage route that is still walked by many today. The Camino de Santiago is an extensive network of ancient pilgrimage routes that stretch throughout Europe. They all end at the tomb of St. James. King Alfonso II’s route is known as the Primitive Way.
“After St. James the Apostle, Bishop Teodomiro of Iria Flavia is the most important figure associated with the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela,” the researchers wrote. “He is said to have discovered the tomb (of the Apostle) after a divine revelation between 820 and 830 AD.”
The new analysis combined several methods to decipher who the bones belonged to. Carbon dating, isotope analysis, bone analysis and DNA testing all point to a man who died after the age of 45, had a weak build and led a fairly sedentary lifestyle.
This may sound like flimsy evidence to attribute the remains to a specific person. However, when analyzed together, a picture begins to emerge. Until 1955, scholars debated whether there was a real Teodomiro at all. Then the tomb containing the remains was discovered. The inscription on it read: “In this tomb rests the servant of God Teodomiro, bishop of the see of Iria.”
Several investigations into the remains subsequently caused confusion.
All indications point to the bishop
Now, carbon dating proves that the man in the grave died around the same time as Teodomiro. Genetic analysis suggests that the person was related to the Roman, Visigothic and Muslim populations of the Iberian Peninsula. The authors of the new study claim that this is “consistent with someone who lived in Spain 1,200 years ago.”
Finally, the bone analysis suggests a man who was relatively weak and not very physically active. Members of the clergy would have done very little manual labor in the ninth century, so this all fits.
While no one will ever be able to prove that these remains are those of Teodomiro, the authors believe there is a “98% chance” that they are.
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