Abstract
The Turin Shroud is one of the most instantly recognizable religious relics in the world. A linen cloth 4.4 m by 1.1 m, the Shroud bears the front and rear image of a bearded man who appears to have been crucified and then wrapped in a cloth before burial. With the strong parallels to the death of Jesus Christ, the direct dating of the Shroud was often believed to be the definitive test of its authenticity. Yet before the results of the scientific analysis hit the headlines in 1989, the Shroud had had a colourful story.
Antiquities are history defaced,
Or some remnants of history
which have casually escaped the shipwreck of time
RANCIS BACON (1561–1626)
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Further Reading
Arnold, J.R. and Libby, W.F (1949) Age determinations by radiocarbon content: Checks with samples of known age. Science, 110, 678–80.
Damon, RE., Donahue, D.J., Gore, B.H., Hathaway, A.L., Juli, A.J.T., Linick, T.W., Sercel, PJ., Toolin, L.J., Bronk, CR., Hall, E.T., Hedges, R.E.M., Housley, R., Law, I.A., Perry, C, Bonani, G., Trumbore, S., Woelfi, W., Ambers, J.C., Bowman, S.G.E., Leese, M.N. and Tite, M.S. (1989) Radiocarbon dating of the Shroud of Turin. Nature, 337, 611–15.
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Hedges, R.E.M. (1989) Shroud irradiated with neutrons? Reply. Nature, 337, 594.
Libby, W.E, Anderson, E.C. and Arnold, J.R. (1949) Age determination by radiocarbon content: world-wide assay of natural radiocarbon. Science, 109, 227–8.
Phillips, T.J. (1989) Shroud irradiated with neutrons? Nature, 337, 594.
Reimer, RJ., Baillie, M.G.L., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Bertrand, C.J.H. et al. (2004) IntCal04 terrestrial radiocarbon age calibration, 0–26 cal kyr BR Raà ocarbon, 46, 1029–58.
Rogers, R.N. (2005) Studies on the radiocarbon sample from the Shroud of Turin. Thermochimica Acta, 425, 189–94.
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© 2006 Chris Turney
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Turney, C. (2006). The Forged Cloth of Turin. In: Bones, Rocks and Stars. Macmillan Science. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-230-55230-2_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-230-55230-2_4
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