Shroud of Turin image matches low-relief statue—not human body, 3D modeling study finds

Turin shroud is a famous artifact with dark origins. How and when it has been made has long been the subject of debates among many scientists, historians and religious leaders, such as. The two most eminent theories are that it was created as a work of art during the medieval period or that it was a piece of flax which was in fact wound around the body of Jesus Christ after his death more than 2000 years ago.

Radiocarbon dating back in a 1989 study on the Turin shroud dated from 1260 to 1390 AD, in accordance with medieval theory. Later, in 2005, Raymond Rogers argued that the sample tested from the radiocarbon dating came from an area that had been repaired and was therefore more recent than the original fabric. And more recently, in 2022, a single wire of the shroud material was tested with a new method – and somewhat controversial – based on the diffusion of the wide angle X -rays (Waxs), which affirmed that the shroud dating from the first century AD. If these results are reliable, it dates the fabric much closer to the time of Jesus.

Yet another study examined the blood diagrams on the shroud and deemed them incompatible with what would be expected with a deceased man lying flat. In fact, the authors said that these blood diagrams were “totally unrealistic”. This led to the idea that the blood could have been added to the shroud in a more artistic way after its creation.

Recently, a study using 3D modeling with Makehuman, Blender and Cloudcomompare added more evidence to the debate. The study, published in ArchaeometryCompare the digital imprints of a three -dimensional human figure and an artistic rendering with a low relief – similar to a flattened statue – of a human on a flat sheet.

The idea is that when a 3D object is wrapped in a 2D sheet, like a piece of fabric, the resulting imprint is distorted and seems to be much wider than when you look directly at the 3D object. This somewhat intuitive result is called the effect of the Agamemnon mask. The Agamemnon mask is a golden funeral mask discovered on the bronze age site of Mycenae in Greece which seemed to be deployed flat after adapting to a face.

The digital imprint on the 2D surface which had been arranged on the 3D human figure seemed enlarged and distorted, as expected, unlike the imprint on the real tin of Turin. Instead, the low -relief model produced a much more consistent imprint with the real appearance of the shroud.

Cicero Moraes, the author of the study, writes: “The contact model generated by the low relief model is more compatible with the image of the shroud, showing less anatomical distortion and greater fidelity to the observed contours, while the projection of a 3D body is translated as a significantly distorted image.”

Although this study does not give any particular overview of the dating of the Turin shroud, it provides support for the idea that it was an artistic rendering. Low relief art was also common during the medieval period, so this type of creation aligned with what could have been done during this period.

Moraes encourages others to test free and accessible software used in the study to reproduce results or deepen other historical curiosities. He says: “This work offers not only another perspective on the origin of the shroud of the image of Turin, but also highlights the potential of digital technologies to approach or untangle historical mysteries, intertwine science, art and technology in collaborative and reflective research for responses.”

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