Spain finds Don Quixote writer Cervantes' tomb in Madrid

BBC News ^ | 17th March 2015 | Camila Ruz

[the scotsman]

'Forensic scientists say they have found the tomb of Spain's much-loved giant of literature, Miguel de Cervantes, nearly 400 years after his death.

They believe they have found the bones of Cervantes, his wife and others recorded as buried with him in Madrid's Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians.

Separating and identifying his badly damaged bones from the other fragments will be difficult, researchers say.

The Don Quixote author was buried in 1616 but his coffin was later lost.

When the convent was rebuilt late in the 17th Century, his remains were moved into the new building and it has taken centuries to rediscover the tomb of the man known as Spain's "Prince of Letters".

"His end was that of a poor man. A war veteran with his battle wounds," said Pedro Corral, head of art, sport and tourism at Madrid city council.

The team of 30 researchers used infrared cameras, 3D scanners and ground-penetrating radar to pinpoint the burial site, in a forgotten crypt beneath the building.'

[miss marmelstein]

Now that’s what I would call a find!!!

[yarddog]

I didn’t realize the book or the author was that old.

[dware]

Ping!

[nickcarraway]

He was kidnapped and ransomed by Muslims. His dream was to come to America.

[yarddog]

I wonder if Cervantes Street in Pensacola is named after him.

[goldstategop]

The author of the modern novel - the greatest novel in the world.

[nickcarraway]

He died on the same day as Shakespeare. (Or a day apart)

[Professional Engineer]

At least he wasn’t buried under the parking lot.

[Political Junkie Too]

Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians

Is that anything like the Knights of the Woeful Countenance?

-PJ

[Cyman]

Alas all that was found were some crossmembers of a windmill

[yarddog]

I have read that “Great Expectations” is often considered the greatest novel but “Don Quixote” has to be up there.

[Political Junkie Too]

I still use the phrase "tilting at windmills" today.

-PJ

[yarddog]

Yes and if I knew how I would post some version of “Man Of Lamancha”.

[Cry if I Wanna]

The author of the modern novel - the greatest novel in the world.

Indeed. An amazing work.

[JimSEA]

I remember that it’s actually very entertaining even to a modern reader. His characters ring true today.

[Billthedrill]

Cervantes on his galley sets the sword back in the sheath
(Don John of Austria rides homeward with a wreath.)
And he sees across a weary land a straggling road in Spain,
Up which a lean and foolish knight forever rides in vain,
And he smiles, but not as Sultans smile, and settles back the blade....

Quite a life. Cervantes lost the use of a hand at Lepanto and said he'd gladly do it again. Five years as a galley slave of one of the commanders that fought there on the other side until he was ransomed at last. They tell authors to "write what you know," and he did.

[Michael.SF.]

Separating and identifying his badly damaged bones from the other fragments will be difficult, researchers say

Not to take anything away from the book, one that I enjoyed immensely when young, but why bother separating "His" bones from the others?

Why not bury them all together (as they were) and label it as such? a team of 30 researches... plus now the archaeologists?

Sounds like a Spanish doubloon-doggle to me.

[yarddog]

I am a little bit ashamed to admit that I only read the “Classic Comics” version. It was still pretty good.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks dware!

• London: Lost Play of Shakespeare Discovered in Family Heirloom