Osteological and Biomolecular Analyses from Bishop Teodomiro of Iría Flavia

After St James the Greater, Bishop Teodomiro of Iria-Flavia, who discovered the apostolic tomb after a divine revelation between 820-830 CE, is the most important figure within the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela phenomenon. In 1955, the lid of his sarcophagus and some human remains associated with the bishop were discovered. However, decades later, an osteological reassessment contradicted this initial interpretation and suggested that the human remains belonged to a woman buried in a separate tomb. Here, using osteological, stable isotope, radiocarbon dating and aDNA analysis, we provide consistent results that these remains belong to Bishop Teodomiro, demonstrating how bioarchaeology can offer valuable tools for studying historical figures.