Traces of DNA extracted from a Renaissance work could be Da Vinci’s

A group of scientists recovered tiny traces of DNA from Renaissance artifacts, some of which could belong to the visionary Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci.

The researchers extracted residual DNA from a bloodline drawing on paper, titled Holy Child–possibly made by Da Vinci himself–, as well as letters written by his ancestor Frosino di Ser Giovanni da Vinci, preserved in a historical archive in Italy.

According to the study, some sequences of the Y chromosome found both in the drawing and in a letter written by one of Leonardo’s cousins ​​seem to correspond to a typical genetic group of people with common roots in the region of Tuscany, the artist’s birthplace.

By comparing these sequences with large genetic databases, the scientists identified matches with the E1b1/E1b1b lineage of the Y chromosome, present in populations of southern Europe – including Italy – as well as in North Africa and the Near East.

As reported Science Magazinesome of that genetic material could have belonged to Da Vinci himself.

Complex resolution

Experts warn that this is not yet conclusive proof and determining whether any of the genetic traces found really correspond to Leonardo is very complex.

The main difficulty lies in the impossibility of contrasting the extracted DNA with genetic material whose origin is confirmed. Da Vinci left no known descendants and his tomb was disturbed in the early 19th century, preventing direct verification.

Historical artifacts have the ability to accumulate DNA from the environments they have passed through, which can offer valuable information about the people who created and manipulated them, the materials used in their manufacture, and the places through which they circulated over time.

However, studying these objects without damaging or contaminating them has represented a challenge for science for decades.

Now, a group of scientists has developed a “minimally invasive” method that allows them to recover what they describe as “biological signatures of history” from works of art from the Renaissance and letters linked to Da Vinci’s ancestors.

Most of the DNA recovered comes from bacteria, fungi, plants and viruses, allowing data to be obtained about the original materials of the artifacts, their storage, conservation and manipulation. However, traces of DNA of human origin were also identified.

“We recovered heterogeneous mixtures of non-human DNA,” the authors explain in a preliminary study, not yet peer-reviewed, published on the arXiv platform. Furthermore, they point out that “in a subset of samples, scarce signals of male human DNA appear.”

The researchers used a gentle swabbing method, similar to that used in museums, to collect skin flakes, sweat residue, microbes, plant pollen, fibers and environmental dust from the artifacts. From this biological material, they extracted minimal amounts of DNA, which provided useful information about the pieces.

“Some non-human DNA may help us understand the composition of the artifact, the materials that may have been used, and the geological setting of pieces created during the Renaissance in Florence and other regions of Europe,” the researchers noted.

For example, they mentioned the discovery of traces of Italian ryegrass (A multi-flowered lily), a plant that could indicate the Italian origin of the object in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Likewise, they detailed that riverine species such as the Salix spp (willow) were abundant along the Arno River and were frequently used in craft activities of the time, such as basket weaving, bookbinding, scaffolding construction, and charcoal production in workshops.

“The exclusive presence of Citrus spp in the work could establish a direct link with its historical context.”

Because the artifacts analyzed in the new study were associated with male historical figures, the scientists focused their attention on Y chromosome DNA markers found in the biological samples.

“To make more solid claims – provenance, geographical location or historical characteristics – it is necessary to do more research to distinguish the signals associated with the artifact from those generated by its modern manipulation,” the scientists clarified.