A chilling mystery that remains from the Middle Ages
The shroud of Turin is a linen cloth that bears a faint image of a man who seems to have suffered from physical trauma. Many people believe that it is the image of Jesus Christ after being crucified and buried in a stone tomb. However, the origin and authenticity of the shroud remain a mystery that has not been solved.
History
The shroud was first known in the 14th century, when it was displayed in France by a monk named Geoffroy de Charny. Later, it was moved to Turin, Italy, in 1578 by the Savoy family, an Italian royal house. In 1983, the shroud was given to the Holy See and is now kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Turin.
Image
The image on the shroud shows the face and body of a bearded man, about 1.8 meters tall. He has many wounds all over his body, especially on his arms, legs and side. The marks are consistent with being nailed on a cross and pierced by a spear. The image can only be seen clearly when photographed in negative.
Explanation
There are different hypotheses to explain how the image was formed on the shroud. Some hypotheses suggest that the image is the result of a natural process, such as oxidation, decomposition or light reflection. Some hypotheses propose that the image is the result of a supernatural process, such as resurrection, transfiguration or radiation. Some hypotheses argue that the image is the result of an artificial process, such as painting, printing or using chemicals.
Dating
One of the biggest controversies about the shroud is its dating. In 1988, three scientific groups from Oxford University, Arizona University and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology conducted radiocarbon dating on a small sample of the shroud. They concluded that the shroud was made between 1260 and 1390, that is, more than 12 centuries after Jesus Christ died. However, many people challenged this result, claiming that the sample was not representative of the whole shroud, or that it was contaminated by other factors. Some other studies suggested other dating methods, such as bacterial dating, vanillin dating or infrared spectroscopy.
So far, the process of studying the shroud has never rested. But many people actually believe that the shroud is the remnant of one of the most influential figures in the history of human development.
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