Shroud of Turin DNA study finds plant DNA from vegetables and grains
Fox News • • world
Key Points:
- Researchers analyzed DNA traces from dust and fibers on the Shroud of Turin, identifying various plant species including carrot and bread wheat as the most dominant.
- Some identified species, such as tomatoes, maize, and peanuts, are New World crops, suggesting contamination occurred after 1492.
- The study concluded that genetic profiling cannot determine the shroud's age or confirm whether it dates back two millennia or the medieval period.
- Findings provide new insights into the Shroud's preservation history and the biological traces left by centuries of social and ecological interactions.
- The Shroud of Turin, kept in Italy since 1578, has a documented history from the mid-14th century, with previous radiocarbon dating dating it to 1260-1390 A.D., though some recent analyses suggest it could be around 2,000 years old.
