Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin (or Turin Shroud) is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have been physically traumatized in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is presently kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. Some believe it is the cloth that covered Jesus when he was placed in his tomb and that his image was somehow recorded on its fibers at or near the time of his imputed resurrection. Skeptics contend the shroud is a medieval hoax or forgery - or even a devotional work of artistic verisimilitude. It is the subject of intense debate among some scientists, believers, historians and writers regarding where, when and how the shroud and its images were created.

The Shroud of Turin, a 4.3-metre linen cloth bearing the hidden image of a crucified man, is held by some to be the burial cloth that covered Jesus – and by others to be an elaborate medieval hoax.

Forceful arguments and evidence cited against the miraculous origin of the shroud images include a letter from a medieval bishop to the Avignon pope claiming personal knowledge that the image was cleverly painted to gain money from pilgrims; radiocarbon tests in 1988 that yielded a medieval timeframe for the cloth's fabrication; and analysis of the apparent "blood flecks" by microscopist Walter McCrone who concluded they are ordinary pigments.

Forceful arguments and evidence cited for the shroud's being something other than a medieval forgery include textile and material analysis pointing to a 1st-century origin, the unusual properties of the image itself which some claim could not have been produced by any image forming technique known before the 19th century, analysis indicating that the 1988 radiocarbon dating was invalid, and chemical analyses of the purported blood stains which flatly contradict McCrone's assertions.

Both skeptics and proponents tend to have very entrenched positions on the cause of formation of the shroud image, which has made dialogue very difficult. This may prevent the issue from ever being fully settled to the satisfaction of all sides.

Resources about Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin Website
The Shroud of Turin is a centuries old linen cloth that bears the image of a crucified man. A man that millions believe to be Jesus of Nazareth. Is it really the cloth that wrapped his crucified body, or is it simply a medieval forgery, a hoax perpetrated by some clever artist? Modern science has...

Science & the shroud
Microbiology meets archaeology in a renewed quest for answers.

The Shroud of Turin
Jesus died quickly on the cross. Mark, the earliest Gospel, says that his body was wrapped in a linen cloth before burial in a rock-tomb. Its door was closed with a stone.

The Shroud of Turin
The shroud of Turin at Torrione Castle. From the records of the Vialardi di Sandigliano Foundation Museum and Center for History and Humanities.

Shroud of Turin Debate
The shroud of Turin is a woven cloth about 14 feet long and 3.5 feet wide which has an image of a man on it. The image is believed by many to be the image of Jesus of Nazareth and the shroud is believed to be his burial shroud.

Shroud of Turin
The shroud of Turin is a woven cloth about 14 feet long and 3.5 feet wide with an image of a man on it. Actually, it has two images, one frontal and one rear, with the heads meeting in the middle.

Why No One Can Explain the Pictures on the Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin images may not the direct result of a miracle, at least not in a traditional sense of the word.

Is The Shroud of Turin of Jesus?
The Shroud of Turin has long been a controversial object. I've read several books on the topic and several websites, and have never been convinced that the Shroud of Turin is that of Jesus. The more scientists study the Shroud, the more evidence is produced that it cannot be from Jesus time.

Voice of Reason: The Truth Behind the Shroud of Turin by Joe Nickell
While science and scholarship have demonstrated that the Shroud of Turin is not the burial cloth of Jesus but instead a fourteenth-century forgery, shroud devotees continue to claim otherwise.

A Forensic Science CSI to Explain the Pictures of Jesus on the Shroud of Turin
Sometimes the CSI evidence doesn't make sense even to the best CSI or CSI fan. It is like finding the body of a scuba diver in a tree in the desert outside Las Vegas.

Secrets of The Dead. Shroud of Christ?
The history of the Shroud of Turin presents an interesting contrast. Over the past several centuries, every movement, study, and display of the cloth has been the subject of intense scrutiny and meticulous documentation.

The Other Picture of Jesus on the Shroud: The Second Face
The peer-reviewed, secular scientific Journal of Optics of the Institute of Physics reported that a faint picture of a second face was discovered on the back of the Shroud of Turin (April 14, 2004).

Examine The Shroud of Turin
A major restoration of the Shroud of Turin was undertaken by its owners. All thirty of the patches sewn into the cloth in 1534 by the Poor Clare nuns to repair the damage caused by the 1532 fire were removed.

Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin, as seen by the naked eye, is a negative image of a man with his hands folded. The linen is 14 feet, 3 inches long and 3 feet, 7 inches wide. The shroud bears the image of a man with wounds similar to those suffered by Jesus.

Ion Science explains the enduring mysteries of the Shroud of Turin by Guy Cramer
The Shroud of Turin is one of the most venerated, most remarkable, most mysterious, most thoroughly studied artifacts in the world today. Believed by many to be the actual burial cloth of Christ, the Shroud made its first recorded appearance in 14th century France.

Shroud of Turin: The Mystery Remains
One hundred years ago this month, on May 28, 1898, amateur photographer Secundo Pia applied the new science of photography to a mysterious relic. The Holy Shroud of Turin, Italy, perhaps the burial shroud of Jesus himself, was on display in the cathedral chapel that had been built to house it 280 years earlier.

The Shroud of Turin : Genuine artifact or manufactured relic? by Jack Kilmon
No single artifact of the past has so exemplified the interface between science and religion as the Shroud of Turin. What are the facts and how do we separate the facts from both religious and scientific bias and agenda-based conclusions?

Shroud of Turin Information Platform
Historical Jesus shroud crucifixion resurrection Christ.

The Holy Shroud Official Site
Official Site of the Shroud, Holy Shroud, Exposition of the Shroud, Exposition of the Shroud in Torino, Exposition of the Shroud in Turin, Exposition 2000