The Shroud of Turin

Burial Cloth of Jesus?

The Shroud--History • A historical timeline

– Used to bury Jesus – Taken to the King of Edessa--Coins with king’s

image and a cross (c. 170)--Hidden in the wall afterwards and rediscovered in the 6th century

– Taken to Constantinople in the 10th century--used by artists to make icons

– Taken to France by the crusaders when Constantinople was sacked

The Shroud--Linen

• It is linen not cotton--no similar material found from Medieval times.

• Threads hand woven--pre 12th century.

• The cloth measures 2 x 8 Syrian cubits.

The Shroud--Science

• STURP--The Shroud of Turin Research Project – Ran numerous tests determining several facts

about the Shroud • No paints or dies found on the fibrils. • There was direct contact with the Shroud by a body. • Image is of a real human form of a crucified man.

The Shroud--Image

• The image is made by direct contact with the Shroud. It is a 3D image.

– These are the characteristics of the image:

• No brush strokes Purely superficial • Fibrils not together No outline to image • No substances between threads • The image is a negative, not a positive • The image has x-ray like qualities.

The Shroud--Blood • The blood is real blood--presence of heme,

porphyrins, bile pigments & serum albumin.

• Blood marks are consistent with the wounds of a crucified man.

• Stains result from separation of red blood cells from serum.

The Shroud--Flowers • There are specific pollens from plants that

grow only in Jerusalem area.

• Pollen confirms the Shroud’s presence in Edessa, Constantinople and France.

• The flower images corroborate the Shroud’s use in burial.

The Shroud--Possibilities • A Medieval work of art

• A Medieval “Custom Crucifixion”

• Someone else who died by crucifixion in

the first century

• The actual burial Shroud of Christ