Shroud of Turin for Journalists - Carbon Dating Mistakes, Etc. : Christ Pantocrator

The Paul Vignon Markings

This page is best understood by first reading the page about the Christ Pantocrator and the Overlay Analysis.

French Shroud scholar Paul Vignon identified a number of common characteristics visible in many early artistic pictures of Jesus. The Vignon Markings, all appear on the Shroud as part of the image or as anomalies in the cloth.

A square-bottom U between the eyebrows.
A downward pointing triangle or V on the bridge of the nose.
Two wisps of hair down from the hairline in the center of the forehead.
One eyebrow raised.
Large owlish eyes.
An accent on the left cheek and another on the right cheek somewhat lower.
A forked beard.
An enlarged left nostril.
An accent line below the nose.
A dark line just below the lower lip.
A gap in the beard below the lower lip.
Hair on one side of the head shorter than on the other side.

Christ Pantocrator Icon at St. Catherine's Monastery

Overlay of Shroud of Turin face on Christ Pantocrator

Christ Pantocrator ca. 1100 from dome of
Church at Daphni, near Athens. Notice sweep
of hair on right and left is like the Shroud's
face. So, too are beard characteristics as
well as the large owlish eyes.

Christ Pantocrator, ca. 1200 from dome of Church
at Cefalu, Sicily. Note U at bridge of nose, triangle
on nose, raised right eyebrow, uneven hair, two wisps
of hair. This image shows the styles that seem to have emerged from the Edessa Image and are certainly
apparent on the Shroud of Turin.