A study published in the book Genìa Da Vinci revealed that Leonardo da Vinci has at least six living male descendants who share his Y chromosome, according to Il Giornale. For the first time, an international team of scholars managed to identify the Y chromosome shared by these descendants of the paternal line of the da Vinci family.
Through meticulous analysis of sources and archival documents, researchers Alessandro Vezzosi and Agnese Sabato reconstituted branches of the family to which Leonardo belonged. By identifying 15 descendants in the direct male line, they traced genealogical links to Leonardo's father and half-brother, Domenico di ser Piero da Vinci.
The analysis revealed that these descendants have common portions of the Y chromosome, an essential marker for determining male inheritance. This confirms the genetic continuity of the male line of the da Vinci family starting from the 15th generation.
The book Genìa Da Vinci documents a family tree that dates back to 1331, encompassing 21 generations and including more than 400 individuals. The volume provides an account of the da Vinci family lineage, offering readers a journey through genealogy, history, geography, documents, places, and historical figures to rediscover the environment that shaped Leonardo.
"Studying Leonardo's DNA can lead us to discover the biological bases of his genius, his visual acuity, creativity, and perhaps even his health and the causes of his death," said Vezzosi, a Leonardo scholar and co-author of the volume, according to Il Giornale. This discovery opens the way to the possible reconstruction of the genetic profile of the Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci.
"A more detailed analysis is needed to determine if the extracted DNA is sufficiently preserved," said David Caramelli, President of the Museum System of the University of Florence and coordinator of the project for anthropological and molecular aspects. "Based on the results, we can proceed with the analysis of Y chromosome fragments to compare them with current descendants."
Archaeological excavations have started in the Church of Santa Croce in Vinci, historically documented as the burial place of the da Vinci family. The authors confirmed the existence of a da Vinci family tomb in the church, which may be the burial site of Leonardo's grandfather Antonio, his uncle Francesco, and several half-brothers: Antonio, Pandolfo, and Giovanni. The excavation is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Florence.
Anthropologists Alessandro Riga and Luca Bachechi from the University of Florence, leaders of the excavation, made progress in efforts to identify the DNA of Leonardo da Vinci and his ancestors. They recovered bone fragments, some of which were dated by radiocarbon. Preliminary investigations conducted by Martina Lari and results from Caramelli indicate that the recovered fragment belongs to a male individual compatible with the age of Leonardo's presumed relatives.
A specimen, whose age corresponds to that of the supposed relatives of Leonardo, was submitted to paleogenomic analysis. The next step in the project is to compare the DNA taken from the remains with that of individuals considered to be the living descendants of Leonardo da Vinci. If the Y chromosome of living descendants is also found in the older remains from the tombs in the da Vinci churches, this would support the accuracy of the paternity records and allow a more in-depth examination of the biological material attributed to Leonardo.
Launched in 2016, the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project is supported by the Municipality of Vinci and is coordinated by Rockefeller University in New York, involving institutions such as the University of Florence and the J. Craig Venter Institute in California. The research aims to shed light on the biological traits of the Renaissance master.
"Leonardo is not just the creator of the Mona Lisa. He is a challenge to redefine the limits of historical and cultural knowledge," said Jesse H. Ausubel of Rockefeller University, according to Il Giornale. The research will also be the basis of an international documentary and a future film production.
The guiding principle of the project is the traceability of the Y chromosome, which has remained unchanged for centuries. If successful, the sequencing of DNA fragments could reveal biological traits such as left-handedness, visual perception, diet, health predispositions, and physical appearance. This would also support the historical reconstruction of the lineage established through death records.
The preparation of this article relied on a news-analysis system.