Over the centuries, the piece of linen that would have wrapped Jesus after the crucifixion (and received an imprint of his body) has been the subject of much discussion. Some defend its authenticity. Others believe it to be a well-crafted medieval hoax.
– (Rafael Nunes/)
1) OLD CLOTH
The Shroud, a rustic piece of pure linen, was made on a manual loom, with spinning techniques used in the Middle East at the time of Jesus. Traces of fibers from a local type of cotton, the Gossypium herbaceum, also contradict the idea that the sheet would have been manufactured between the 13th and 14th centuries – since, according to John Tyrer, a researcher at the Textile Institute of Manchester, this species was not Cultivated in Europe during the Middle Ages
2) NATIVE FLOWER
Another element that supports the authenticity of the mortuary sheet is the pollen found in the fabric. In 1999, botanist Avinoam Danin confirmed that the Shroud contained traces (from the 8th century) of plants that only existed in Jerusalem. This is the case of the species Gundelia tournefortii, which would have been used in the making of the crown of thorns
3) STAMPED FACE
A possible explanation for the formation of the image is the Maillard reaction, in which the gases released by the cadaver react with the thin layer of cellulose of the tissue fibers. For the marks not to be covered by other stains, it would be necessary for the body to be removed from the shroud before starting to decompose – a hypothesis that would be supported by the resurrection, reported in the Bible.
4) NO FAKE
In the 14th century, to quell the arguments, Pope Clement VII declared that the stains were nothing more than a painting that represented the true Shroud of Christ. But research did not detect traces of ink, but blood, type AB – considered rare among Europeans and common among Middle Eastern Jews. In addition, the marks are only on a superficial layer of the fabric, which no medieval painting technique would be able to reproduce.
5) CROSS ANATOMY
The first historical record dates back to 1354, when the Shroud was handed over to a church in the French city of Lirey by Count Geoffroy de Charnay. The fabric was photographed for the first time in 1898, by Secondo Pia – it was from the photo that the image of the “body of Christ” was discovered. Since 1973, when the Vatican released the piece for scientific analysis, some studies have shown that the marks (front and back) are compatible with those of a crucified man (see below). 3D images taken by US researchers in 1978 reveal details that no 13th-century forger could have produced.
6) CONTROVERSIAL DATE
In 1988, the Shroud was subjected to a carbon 14 test – a method of finding out the date the material was produced. The result indicated between 1260 and 1390, making it impossible for Jesus to use it. But new research suggests that residue from a fire in 1532 may have «contaminated» the piece. Bacterial residues are also pointed II_ as causing possible failures in dating
7) JEWISH TRADITION
In 2009, archaeologists from the Hebrew University discovered, in the Haceldama cemetery (in Jerusalem), a tomb from the 1st century with fragments of cloaks used to cover the dead from head to toe, such as the Shroud. The discovery supports the thesis, until then without archaeological support, that this was a Jewish custom at the time.
– (Rafael Nunes/)
I) Perforated head – The crown of thorns would not be a tiara, as it is commonly portrayed, but a kind of helmet that covered the entire head. The thorns measured 5 cm and caused 72 perforations
II) Facial features – The face, beard and hair that appear on the sheet show characteristics of a Semitic racial group – which would support the idea that Jesus was Jewish
III) Traditional hairstyle – The English historian Ian Wilson noticed in the images that the dead man wore a kind of braid half undone on his back. At the time of Jesus, it was common for Jews to braid their hair behind their necks.
IV) Nail marks – On the wrist and not on the hands – as was believed in medieval times. With this, the median nerves are severed, causing the thumbs to retract into the hands.
V) Injured – Injuries to the shoulders and back indicate that the dead man carried a horizontal bar and suffered falls on the way, as he has severe bruises on his knee and nose.
The other side
Scientific and historical analyzes call into question the authenticity of Christ’s shroud
– In the feudal period, the discovery of relics was an advantageous (and profitable) activity for the Catholic Church whose majority of devotees were illiterate and superstitious
– In research published in the journal Nature, carbon 14 dating, carried out in different laboratories, resulted in an origin date close to the 13th and 14th centuries
– An analysis by art authentication expert Walter McCrone indicates pigments also from the 14th century on the Shroud
– Interestingly, the first documents to mention the Holy Shroud also date back to the 14th century
– The image stamped on the cloth represents a human body drawn in the style of Gothic art, also from the 14th century
SOURCES Websites O Globo, Terra and Readings of History