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b. Quick Facts
Provenance and Age: Unknown. Vanillin tests show that the cloth is at least 1300 years old. Previous
carbon 14 tests are now deemed inconclusive.
Where: Stored flat in a sealed, fireproof, rare-atmosphere container in St. John the Baptist Cathedral in
Turin, Italy. The last public exhibition was in 2000. The next announced viewing is to be in 2025.
Fabric: A single piece of linen, about 14½ feet long by 3½ feet wide (14.4 x 1.1 meters). Weave is 3-over
1-herringbone twill, approximately 350 micrometers thick.
Bleaching: Yarn was bleached before weaving. This results in variegated patterns of whiteness in both the
warp and weft yarn.
Images: Faint, brownish, full-length frontal and backside images of a man. Images are negative and
photographic negatives are positive images.
Image Chemistry: A complex carbohydrate substance fully contained within an otherwise clear layer of
starch fractions and saccharides. Layer is 180 to 600 nanometers thick.
Image Distortions: Vertical variegations (see bleaching) along both sides of the face and both sides of the
nose create an optical illusion making the face appear gaunt. Horizontal variegations make eye sockets
appear deep.
Discernable Wounds: Puncture wounds to wrists and feet as well as to the chest. Apparent scourge marks
on torso and legs.
Bloodstains: Blood is from real blood identified by immunological, fluorescence and spectrographic tests,
as well as Rh and ABO typing of blood antigens. The forensic signature of clotting with red corpuscles
about the edge of the clot and a clear yellowish halo of serum are visible.
Burns: Several small burn holes in the cloth of unknown origin as well as large charred areas and burn
holes from a damaging fire in 1532.
Water Stains: Two distinct sets of water stains. One set is from dousing the fire in 1532. Other water
stains are of unknown origin.
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A particularly useful document for appraising facts is: “Evidence for Testing Hypotheses about the Body
Image Formation of the Turin Shroud,” co-authored by nearly eighty researchers, Twenty-eight researchers
were listed as authors. The list includes a bibliography of over 150 documents including peer-reviewed
scientific journals. The list covers topics such as pollen grains, blood chemistry, image chemistry and
optical characteristics. Facts are categorized into three sections: unquestionable facts such as the image
layer, confirmed observations such as the forensic pathology findings from the images and observations
that are not universally accepted such as coin and floral images.
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