The Shroud of Turin: Books on the Shroud

With so many questions about the Shroud as inexplicably unresolved as ever; with the radiocarbon dating findings only deepening the riddle, not solving it; and with the Shroud about to be shown again, in 1998 and 2000, an overview and an up-to-date consideration of the evidence is overdue. Here, Ian Wilson returns to the subject of his international bestseller, The Shroud of Turin, to reveal such startling findings as the discovery of human blood and DNA on the Shroud; the uncovering of historical evidence that something very like the Shroud existed at the time Jesus lived; the discovery of a "bioplastic coating" of living microorganisms which, if it had been carbon dated in 1988, would have indicated that the Shroud was some one thousand years older than it was thought to be; and the new analysis of the photographic-negative-like image on the Shroud.

In "The Resurrection of the Shroud", Mark Antonacci scientifically challenges earlier radiocarbon testing and presents new evidence in determining the Shroud's true age. In addition, he provides the first scientific explanation and demonstration of the cause of the image of the man on the Shroud. Despite centuries of efforts from people of different backgrounds throughout the world, this extraordinary image has never been adequately explained - until now. Based on extensive research - of both the author's twenty years of analysis and the author - this work provides scientific and concrete evidence that the Shroud of Turin was, indeed, used to wrap the body of the historical Jesus Christ.

Why continue to pursue a subject that has been shown by carbon-dating tests to be a 14th-century event? Please join me on experience over these past 20 years. Let me share with you why I was compelled to continue to study the shroud in spite of carbon dating. Then decide for yourself exactly what the Shroud of Turin is and whether it has any meaning for you today. Our focus will be on three areas; (1) the Pentateuch and the Prophets, the foundation of Judaism; (2) the last days of Jesus, the cornerstone of Christianity; and (3) the Shroud of Turin, the cloth that may link these faiths as one.

In 1988, radiocarbon dating showed that the Shroud of Turin - long regarded as the burial cloth of Jesus - could not be from the time of Jesus but was of a more recent origin. What scientists did not know at that time, but what author Dr. Leoncio Garza-Valdes came to discover, is that an organic "bioplastic coating" is created over time on ancient textiles, textiles including the Shroud itself. This coating, which the author first discovered on Mayan artifacts, so distorts the carbon dating process that objects such as the Shroud are often actually significantly older than they have been thought. Many have hailed Dr. Garza-Valdes's findings because of their significance for archaeologists around the world. For those interested in the mysterious history of the Shroud, it is again possible to regard it as originating in the first century - and consequently, as being the burial cloth of Jesus. But Dr. Gara-Valdes's amazing discoveries do not end with this breakthrough. His examination of pieces of the Shroud under a microscope has revealed incredible clues that are consistent with the Scriptural accounts of the death of Jesus. Bacteria that produce acetic acid (vinegar) were isolated from the Shroud. Do they belong to the vinegar offered to Jesus before his death on the cross? One of the other clues is human blood remnants that contain a man's DNA. Could these be traces of the blood of Jesus? Does this blood contain the DNA of God?

Introductory Talk...Die Leinwand des Turiner Grabtuches-zum technischen befund - Mechthild Flury-Lemberg/ The body image of The Turin Shroud...Chairperson: Bruno Barberis...The Shroud fabric and the body image:chemical and physical characteristics...Alan Adler...X-ray radiography and fluorescence on the Shroud...Ron Jenkins...Colourimetry of the Shroud...Paolo Soardo...Spectrophotometry of the Shroud:a critical review...Samuel Pellicori...Computer processing of the body image...Nello Balossino...Images of extraneus objects on the Shroud...Pierluigi Baima Bollone/Round Table...How was the body image formed?...Chairperson:Silvano Scannerini...Discussants:Bruno Barberis,Jeanette Cardamone,Frank Deblase,John Jackson,Vittorio Pesce Delfino,Edmondo Pramauro,Sebastiano Rodante,Piero Savarino,Piero Vercelli,Joseph Virlet,Alan D.Whanger/The Blood Marks on the Turin Shroud...Chairperson:Mechthild Flury-Lemberg...The forensic characteristics of the blood marks...Pierluigi Baima Bollone...Chemical and physical characteristics of the blood stains...Alan Adler...Identification and patterns of the DNA traces...Marcello Canale...Forensic and clinical knowledge of the practice of crucifixion:a forensic way of the cross...Frederick Zugibe/Round Table...What does the study of the blood marks tell us about the man of the Shroud?...Chairperson:Silvano Scannerini...Discussants:Jeanette Cardamone,Frank Deblase,Angelo Fiori,Edmondo Pramauro,Piero Savarino/The History of the Turin Shroud...Chairperson:Pierluigi Baima Bollone...The Gospels and the Shroud...Giuseppe Ghiberti...The Shroud and roman crucifixion:a historical review...Gino Zaninotto...Einige Hypothesen zur Fruhgeschichte des Turiner Grabtuchs...Karlheinz Maria Zaccone...The Shroud in pictorial documents and copies...Heinrich Pfeiffer/Round Table...Does the historical documentation on the Shroud justify further research into its existence before the fourteenth century?...Chairperson:Piero Savarino...Discussants:Rebecca Jackson,Paul Kaswalder,William Meacham,Daniel Raffard de Brienne,Ian Wilson/Origins and Age of the Turin Shroud...Chairperson...Karlheinz Dietz....Thoughts on the Shroud Cdebate...William Meacham...The present state of radiocarbon dating...Robert Otlet...Carbon dating of the Turin Shroud:reasons for scepticism,alternative approaches,prospects and further research...Andrej Ivanov...Micro-traces of plants on the Shroud of Turin as geographical markers...Avinoam Danin/Round Table...Are the radiocarbon results on the Shroud conclusive evidence of its medieval date?...Chairperson:Piero Savarino...Discussants:Alan Adler,Jacques Evin,Alberto Giovannini,Luigi Gonella,John Jackson,Mario Moroni,Yves Saillard,Silvano Scannerini,Franco Testore/Final Session-General Debate...The Shroud past,present and future...Chairmen:Silvano Scannerini,Piero Savarino

The Sudarium of Oviedo is an ancient, bloodstained cloth that was rescued from the Persian invasion of Jerusalem in 614 AD. Believed to be the Sudarium of the Lord, it was hidden in a chest of relics and taken by sea to Spain. When the Moors invaded the country in 711, the Christians fled to the north with their relics, safeguarding their treasure in a well on the top of a mountain known as Monsacro. Fifty years later Oviedo became its permanent residence, and the cloth quickly began to acquire fame as word spread throughout medieval Europe. What is this mysterious relic, and how was it used? Is it the sudarium of Jesus mentioned in John 20:5-7, and can it finally prove the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin? Science is beginning to unravel its mystery, casting new light on the passion and death of Jesus of Nazareth.

In 1978, some twenty-four American scientist and technicians, including specialists from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, arrived in the plaza of Turin's Cathedral of St. John the Baptist accompanied by eight thousand pounds of state-of -the-art equipment. They were there for one purpose: to study the hauntingly beautiful and baffling Shroud of Turin. Over the next several days, this Shroud of Turin Research Project would conduct the most exhaustive tests to which any religious object had ever been submitted - an important part of the work being the photography, which not only recorded the experiments as they took place, but also provided the clearest, sharpest pictures of the Shroud yet available. In the end, what the Project saw and what it found proved both startling and extraordinary. And in The Mysterious Shroud, you at last can see and read about it for yourself in a lavishly designed volume brimming with full-color and black-and-white photographs specially commissioned by the Project, plus compelling text, charts, maps, notes, and a detailed Bibliography.

It is, in truth, remarkable that, after nineteen centuries: the science of photography should give us a portrait of Christ; the science of medicine should corroborate the details and mysteries of the Sacred Passion; Crucifixion, so old a theme and so new. The author of our life and salvation, the Godman, is portrayed for us in the reality of his earthly likeness. With David we may say: "The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us: Thou has given gladness in my heart." May this gladness spread far and wide. -Preface.

"The 'problem of the Shroud' is truly a multidisciplinary one; experts in such diverse fields as physics, chemistry, medicine, and image processing have all contributed in meaningful ways. Stevenson and Habermas have presented the technical results from these various disciplines as objectively as possible in terms understandable to the layman. Although as a physicist I am only qualified to vouch for their success in the matters concerning the physics and chemistry of the problem, I feel that the reader should finish with some reliable impressions about where we stand generally." -Dust jacket.

The Shroud of Turin, a fourteen-foot-long linen cloth bearing the front-and-back lifesize image of a crucified man, has been much in the news recently. Is it the famous garment that wrapped Jesus of Nazareth in the tomb? This fully illustrated story is the first to summarize for the general reader the formal scientific findings after release of the major reports of the Shroud of Turin Research Project. Frank Tribbe is the first author to have full access to these findings. The book carefully distinguishes among and labels facts, conclusions, assumptions, and personal views. It does not attempt to convert, evangelize, or proselytize. Includes many four color illustrations.

In this closely argued book Rodney Hoare presents scientifically based reasons why the Shroud could not have been forged in mediaeval times and must have existed before the banning of crucifixion in the fourth century. He shows why carbon-dating is not infallible and why it gave too modern a date in the case of the Shroud. He draws on his own experiments and on the evidence of forensic scientists, pathologists and other scientists to prove that the stains on the Shroud could not have been faked and that the linen fabric is as old as it has always been believed to be. If the Shroud is of the right period and the right provenance, is it possible that it was actually used to wrap the body of the crucified Christ?

"Heller, while a man of science, was nevertheless a devout man (Southern Baptist). He viewed his task concerning The Shroud with great scepticism; there have been far too many hoaxes in the world of religion. The book describes in great detail the events leading up to the team's conviction that the Shroud was genuine; last - not least - being Heller and Adler's verification of "heme" (blood) and the inexplicable "burned image" of the crucified man. Although carbon dating indicates that the image is not 2000 years old and that the cloth is from the Middle Ages, there is not enough evidence to disprove Heller's assertion that the Shroud is indeed genuine"--Amazon.com.

In 1978 Ken became the official spokesman for the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP), the major scientific project to evaluate the Shroud using the most comprehensive scientific techniques available. For a number of years this team of almost fifty American scientists examined the Shroud utilizing the most modern equipment and technologies available to probe its ancient secrets. He was the editor of the Proceedings of the U.S. Conference of Research on the Shroud of Turin. His personal participation on the STURP team and his familiarity with the technical data provides an excellent background for an in-depth evaluation of the evidence about this burial cloth.

Tucked away safe from prying eyes in some of the most sacred shrines of Italy and Spain,certain "holy faces" are kept under lock and key-ancient,tattered pieces of cloth reputedly imprinted with the face of Christ,reminiscent of the now famous Shroud of Turin.
In the Middle Ages,pilgrims from all over Europe would flock to see these "holy faces' on the rare occasions when they were publicly displayed.The most exalted was the Veronica of St.Peter's in Rome;such was their religious fervor that pilgrims would sometimes trample each other underfoot in their desperate attempts to see the cloth more closely.
Today the Veronica has become so secluded and couched in such secrecy that not a single photograph of it or its where abouts exists within the public domain.While the Veronica and its companion "holy faces" are generally recognized as the work of artists,they are nonetheless unquestionably very ancient and provoke much controversy.
For,what was the original image of Jesus that initially inspired them?Does it still exist,and how far does it trace back?How close do the images come to an actual representation of the face of the historical Jesus Christ?-Dust jacket.

In this amply illustrated volume,John Beldon Scott traces the history of the unique relic,focusing especially on the black-marble and gilt-bronze structure Guarino Guarini designed to house and exhibit it.A key Baroque monument,the chapel comprises many unusual architectural features,which Scott identifies and explains,particularly how the chapel's unprecedented geometry and bizarre imagery convey to the viewer the supernatural powers of the object enshrined there.Drawing on early plans and documents,he also demostrates how the architect's design mirrors the Shroud's strange history as well as the political aspirations of its owners,the Dukes of Savoy.Exhibiting it ritually,the Savoy prized their relic with its godly vestige as a means to link their dynasty with divine purposes.Guarini,too,promoted this end by fashioning an illusory world and sacred space that positioned the duke visually so that he appeared close to the Shroud during its ceremonial display.Finally,Scott describes how the additional need for an outdoor stage for the public showing of the relic to the thousands who came to Turin to see it also helped shape the urban plan of the city and its transformation into the Savoyard capital.
Exploring the mystique of this enigmatic relic and investigating its architectural and urban history for the first time,"Architecture for the Shroud" will appeal to anyone curious about the textile,its display,and the architectural settings designed to enhance its veneration and boost the political agenda of the ruling family.-Dust jacket

The greater part of this little book was written at Treves,during a month spent there at the Exposition of the Holy Coat last autumn.The facts narrated are in great measure what I have witnessed with my own eyes,and the facility that was kindly afforded me of frequent visits to the Relic and of a close examination of it,enable me to speak with confidence on matters where a mere passing visitor would have to rely on the testimony of others.
I do not pretend in these pages to give proof demonstrative of the authenticity of the Holy Coat,but simply to show that the probability of its being genuine is of such a high order,that it seems to me to amount to practical certainty.But even supposing that it is not what it professes to be,this does not invalidate the devotion of the tens of thousands who have visited it.For the homage paid to any material object ultimately falls,according to Catholic belief,not on the object itself,but on Almighty God,to whom alone all honour is due.

Thousands know of the controversy surrounding the Turin Shroud,but few in the English-speaking world have heard of the Oviedo Cloth.It too is a possible relic of Jesus' burial,and the marks on the Shroud and on the Cloth (which is thought to have been wrapped round Jesus' head)are consistent with each other.Yet the Oviedo Cloth has been in its current home in the cathedral town of Oviedo,in northern Spain,since the eleventh century,so there is additional reason to doubt the carbon-dating of the Turin Shroud to the fourteenth century.
The author examines the claims for the authenticity of the Cloth,both scientific and historical.His treatment of the Turin Shroud is in relation to the Cloth and the new evidence which it provides.The closing chapter sets out the implications of these findings for the Church today,and also answers some of the sensational claims made in the more excitable Shroud books of the last few years.The argument is always based on historical foundations,rather than religions ones,thus avoiding the danger of influence from prior convictions.
This book will interest all who want a reasoned introduction to a subject which has caused fierce disputes among scholars,and all who are concerned with the relationship between faith and fact will be enlightened by this study.-Back cover.

"Best-selling journalist, historian and author Paul Badde embarks on an exciting quest to discover the truth behind the Holy Face of Manoppello, a relic recently rediscovered and rumored to be the veil of Veronica ... Badde was intrigued when he heard of a mysterious image in a remote Italian village--an image of a man's face on byssus cloth. Byssus, or sea silk, is a rare and delicate fabric woven from a silky filament produced by mollusks. It is claimed that the fabric is so thin and delicate that it is impossible to paint on--yet the image in Manoppello is clearly visible, and when laid over the image of the face on the Shroud of Turin, forms a perfect match ..."--Dust cover flap.

The Holy Shroud: The Controversy in Perspective...Archbishop Chrysostom of Etna and Bishop Auxentios of Photiki/A Review of The Blood and the Shroud...Father James Thornton.

A detailed analysis on Christ's death by a forensic pathologist and medical examiner, from the crown of thorns to the burial tomb, incorporates the latest scientific discoveries regarding the Shroud of Turin and its authenticity.

Motivated by both a religious interest in the crucifixion and a professional desire to determine just how-and why-Christ died,Dr.Zugibe brings to bear years of meticulous research and experiments,coupled with experience gained from his position as chief medical examiner for a suburban New York county.
In the same logical and unbiased manner in which he might investigate aviolent death or testify at a murder rial,Dr.Zugibe analyzes all the available evidence on the Crucifixion-including scriptural accounts,the image and wound markings on the Shroud,and his own experiments.The result is a vivid,definitive picture of Christ's physical and mental suffering from the perspective of forensic medicine.-Dust jacket.