h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It would be nice if the Shroud was the burial shroud of Jesus. However, the evidence suggests it is a medieval artifact. So, it probably is medival in origin, albeit a very clever work. However, there is the issue of the fabric sampling for carbon dating, because of the fabric repair. I would like to see a second carbon dating to overcome this controversy and confirm or refute the earlier carbon dating.

As would I. But for all the times it was handled, I doubt an accurate carbon-dating reading could ever be made, even if access to the Shroud were granted.

The more you think about it the worse it gets. I can't believe, if it's genuine, that some bright spark, over the millenia, didn't think it wasn't a bit faint and could do with a little 'enhancement' to highlight the key features. remember, bits of stonehenge have been stood back up and set in concrete. If it's a fake, it might best have been accomplished, by actually crucifiying some poor soul, and mimicking the original processes. As I understand it there's another burial cloth, the head wrap, with a superior provenance, yet to be matched up with this cloth. Even if it were genuine, which must be nigh on unverifiable, it frankly proves nothing, least of all that any of the claims or beliefs of christians or churches are true. That said, speaking as a christian, the idea of seeing the face of Jesus has a deep emotional appeal.

For my money, I'm with Edward Godden on this - let's do another carbon-dating to tie up the loose ends, but it looks pretty solid that this is a medieval fake.

Handling of the Shroud shouldn't be an obstacle to carbon dating - especially if we're only interested in working out whether it's 800 or 2000 years old. But I can't see the Vatican agreeing to that any time soon.

Gif

@ marshdom: the Sudarium of Oviedo is talked about in the other entry: A61817394

One of the frustrations of writing this Entry was trying to figure out when people are simply making up their 'facts'. I found sources saying that the bloodstains on the Sudarium exactly matched those on the Shroud - and other sources saying the exact opposite, that the bloodstains don't match. Likewise, the bloodflow from the head wounds on the Shroud is eaxctly like how real blood flows, or is completely unlike how blood gets matted in hair, depending who you ask.

Gif