The 1988 carbon dating used samples from the Raes' corner — one of the worst spots due to centuries of handling. A 1532 fire led nuns to repair this section with rewoven fibers. Textile experts identified medieval repair threads woven into the original fabric. A 2017 paper argues there's enough evidence to question the 1988 results.
Carbon Dating Contaminated by Medieval Repair
Key facts
- 1988 carbon dating was performed on samples from the top left corner of the Shroud
- Three laboratories (Oxford, Zurich, Arizona) independently dated samples to c. 700 years old
- The top left corner is one of the worst areas to carbon date due to centuries of handling
- After a 1532 fire, nuns repaired the Shroud and likely rewove the top section
- A textile expert identified where medieval repair fibers were woven into original fabric
- A 2017 paper concluded there is enough evidence to throw the 1988 carbon dating into contention
- Herringbone weave evidence dates to 600 BC in Ireland and was used by ancient Egyptians
Sources
shroud.com
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