The World's Premier Home Paternity Testing Service

The following is a follow-up to our earlier article on the mystery of Anastasia, and the role DNA analysis is playing in solving it.
——————-
According to a news article released last week, scientists have confirmed the remains of two bodies dug up in Russia last year that they previously believed were those of Tsar Nicholas II’s two children. DNA testing and analysis proved that these two bodies did in fact belong to the royal family that was assassinated by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Since then, historians and scientists alike have been unsure of how many of his family members were killed along with Tsar Nicolas II. Specifically, scientists have had difficulty identifying the bodies of his five children, but the identities of three bodies near the Tsar and his wife Alexandra have proved particularly difficult to identify— those believed to be Maria, Alexei and Anastasia.

This identity question has led to an intriguing mystery throughout much of the twentieth century, with several women coming forward claiming to be the Tsar’s youngest daughter Anastasia. As each woman was ultimately determined not to be the long-lost Anastasia, scientists again turned to a shallow grave in Northern Russia for answers.

Last month, DNA analysis began on several sets of bones found charred in the grave. Now, it appears that two of the smaller bodies have been positively identified as Maria and Alexei. Through the process of elimination and added DNA analysis, researchers now believe a body found earlier in their investigation is that of Anastasia. However, scientists are divided in regard to this recent conclusion because of the corroded state of the DNA that was analyzed, and so investigations will continue in hopes of finding additional evidence to strengthen their conclusion.

Russia’s Orthodox Church has not released a position on the matter, saying that it will wait until scientists and historians can definitively agree on exactly whose bodies have turned up where.

While DNA testing has provided some answers in this mystery, other questions still remain. Most notably, researchers and world citizens alike are left to wonder if Anastasia died with her family or if she survived.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 2:39 pm and is filed under Home Paternity Tests. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.