Belgian researchers hope to find Vesalius’ grave

A team of Belgian archaeologists, historians and artists is convinced that the grave of pioneering anatomist Andreas Vesalius lies under a car park on the Greek island Zakynthos. The team, organised by Belgium’s consul in Greece, Theo Dirix, hopes to retrieve the skeleton in the coming month.

Vesalius, born in Brussels 500 years ago, is the author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, De humani corporis fabrica (On the Fabric of the Human Body). He died in Zakynthos in 1564.

“It used to be thought that he was then buried in the Franciscan abbey at Zakynthos, the capital of the Greek island with the same name,” said Dirix. “But thanks to recently discovered eyewitness reports, we now know that he was probably buried in the church Santa Maria delle Grazie in the centre of Zakynthos.”

The whole city centre, however, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1953. To ascertain where the church (pictured) was exactly situated, researchers from Crete are carrying out a geographical analysis using satellite images, old maps and land registry plans. They have ascertained that the church probably stood partly on a spot that is now an apartment building, crossroads and car park.

“We plan to examine promising spots with non-destructive archaeological tools, like ground-penetrating radars and electromagnetic waves,” explained Dirix. “We will only ask permission for a dig when we are sure.”