Researcher links Columbus toponyms to Balearic Islands

Researcher Bartomeu Payeras has released an expanded second edition of his research regarding the origins of Christopher Columbus. Through an analysis of 156 new toponyms in the Caribbean, Payeras concludes that 82 percent—a total of 128 names—correspond to the geography and sanctuaries of the Balearic Islands.

The study suggests a high density of these names is linked to areas such as Sóller, Palma, Montuïri, and Felanitx. Additionally, the work identifies 25 toponyms influenced by Ramon Llull. Payeras also asserts that the first port Columbus reached on Juana Island (Cuba), which he named Sant Salvador, was the Bay of Bariay, which he describes as an exact clone of Portocolom.

Further anthroponimic studies of the Colom brothers and their relatives suggest a geographic and cultural origin in Mallorca and specifically Felanitx. The research utilizes phonetic studies of signatures and cryptograms to support the connection to the Catalan-speaking Balearic region.