DNA study fuels debate over origins of relic said to be linked to Jesus Christ

New DNA analysis of traces collected from the "Shroud of Turin" is adding further complexity to a centuries-long debate over its origins. The 4-metre linen cloth, first documented in France in the 14th century, bears the faint image of a crucified man and is believed by millions to have been used to wrap the body of Jesus Christ after his death on the cross. Others, however, have long argued that it is a medieval creation.

The latest study, published in March on the preprint server bioRxiv, analyzed DNA traces from samples originally collected in 1978. Although the research has not yet been peer-reviewed, its findings suggest the cloth has been exposed to a wide range of biological material over centuries, with an article by Live Science describing how it further complicates efforts to determine its true origin.

According to the analysis, the shroud contains DNA from numerous human sources, as well as a broad mix of plants, animals and microorganisms. This diversity reinforces the idea that the cloth has undergone extensive contamination over time.

Andrea Nicolotti, a historian at the University of Turin who was not involved in the study, emphasized the difficulty of drawing firm conclusions: “Since the object has been touched by people coming even from distant places, as well as by objects likewise originating from faraway places, it was contaminated in various ways, without any possibility of reconstructing all the stages and the point of origin.”

Scientific debate over the shroud has persisted for decades. Radiocarbon dating has previously suggested that the cloth was produced between 1260 and 1390, placing it firmly in the medieval period rather than the time of Christ.

Additional arguments for a later origin include the likelihood that it was woven using a loom technology not developed until the Middle Ages, and research indicating the image may have been created using artistic techniques rather than direct contact with a human body.

The new DNA findings appear to support the theory of extensive later contamination. Researchers identified genetic material from a wide range of animals, including domestic species such as cats, dogs and livestock, as well as wild animals and marine organisms. DNA from Mediterranean red coral was also detected, pointing to contact with objects or environments linked to that region.

Nicolotti cautioned against overinterpreting this evidence: "Red coral perhaps makes people think of the sea of Palestine," he said, adding that a more plausible explanation lies in devotional items. "It makes me think of the coral crucifixes and rosaries, or reliquaries that we know were placed in contact with the cloth."

Interestingly, there was a notable absence of species traditionally associated with the Levant region and stories in the Bible around the time of Jesus Christ's life, the article states.

The analysis also revealed plant DNA from both Old World and New World species, including maize, tomatoes, bananas and peanuts. Since some of these plants were only introduced to Europe after the 16th century, their presence suggests that the shroud was exposed to additional contaminants long after its initial creation.

Lead researcher Gianni Barcaccia noted that the results reflect “significant environmental contamination of the shroud that likely occurred in recent centuries, particularly following the voyages of Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus.” The findings highlight how centuries of handling, display and religious use have left a complex biological record on the cloth, making it increasingly difficult to isolate any original traces.

By Nazrin Sadigova