The celebrated linen shroud that was supposedly wrapped in the body of Jesus Christ after his death, known as the Shroud of Turin, appears to be an original artifact.
In the second half of the 20th century, the Shroud of Turin was repeatedly examined and studied, including using scientific methods, but the results were ambiguous. It was either considered a counterfeit or facts were revealed that indicated its authenticity.
In 1988, a diminutive fragment was cut out of the Shroud of Turin and carbon dated. The results showed that the cloth was made in the 13th or 14th century AD, and the Shroud of Turin was widely heralded as a medieval forgery.
However, radiocarbon dating is a controversial method because over time, various substances accumulate on the tissues, which can significantly affect the results of the analysis.
A novel study by scientists from the Italian Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council used a novel method to date the Shroud of Turin: wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS).
This technique measures the natural aging of linen pulp and translates it into time since production. The team examined eight diminutive samples of fabric from the Shroud of Turin, X-raying them to reveal fine details of the fabric structure and cellulose pattern.
To date the Shroud of Turin, scientists used a number of aging parameters, including temperature and humidity, which cause significant degradation of cellulose.
They found that before reaching Europe (which probably happened in the 14th century), the fabric had been stored in stable conditions for about 13 centuries – at a temperature of about 22.5°C and humidity of about 55%. If it had been stored in different conditions, the cellulose would have changed differently.
They then compared the state of ageing of the cellulose on the shroud pieces with that of another piece of fabric found in Israel, dated to the first century CE, and found that the samples were very similar.
“The data profiles were fully consistent with similar measurements obtained from a flax sample historically dated to 55–74 AD found at Masada in Israel [Herod’s famous fortress built on limestone bedrock overlooking the Dead Sea]”, we read in a study published in Heritage magazine.
To sum up their results, the researchers also compared the shroud fragments using the same method with samples of linen fabric made in the 13th to 14th centuries AD. To test a conclusion reached by other scientists in 1988, they found no matches.
“For the current result to be consistent with the 1988 radiocarbon dating, the shroud would have to have been preserved for a hypothetical seven centuries of its existence at room temperature very close to the maximum values recorded on Earth,” the study noted.
Furthermore, the lead author of the new study, Dr. Liberato De Caro, clearly stated that the 1988 radiocarbon dating should be considered unreliable: “Since tissue samples are usually exposed to all kinds of contaminants that cannot be completely removed from the dated sample… If the sample cleaning procedure is not carefully followed, carbon-14 dating is unreliable.”
The Shroud of Turin measures 4.37 by 1.11 meters. It features two full-size prints of a human body, from the back and front, as if the human body had been carefully wrapped in the cloth. The exact method by which the prints appeared on the cloth remains a highly controversial subject.
This is not paint, but rather a trace of a strong heat source. Close examination of the body painting reveals that it is anatomically flawless, and the wounds on the body match descriptions of injuries Jesus suffered before and during his crucifixion, including thorn marks on his head, cuts on his back, and bruises on his arms.
Image Source: Pixabay.com
