Many have believed for a long time that the Shroud of Turin is the burial cloth of Jesus. It’s a linen fabric with images of crucified men on the front and the back. It has been revered for many centuries.
The Shroud of Turin first appeared in France during the middle 14th century. From there, it passed through Savoy, Chambery, and Turin before arriving in Turin.
The exact origin of this artifact is still a mystery. Historians, scientists, and theologians are divided on whether the object was invented in medieval Europe or in Jerusalem during the 1st century CE. Legends claim that the artifact was transported through Edessa and Constantinople before arriving in France. However, there is no evidence to support these claims.
The Shroud fibers have been studied by new research, which reveals not only an image of the crucified, but also complex tapestries of DNA and microbiological life.
BioRxiv has published a new study that examined the DNA of samples collected during 1978 examinations of the Turin Shroud.
The results revealed a variety of genetic materials. These findings reveal the biological diversity of the fabric and its relationship with people and other materials throughout history. The report includes its genetic lines, contamination, and genomic state, as well as evidence of preservation and historic connotations.
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Scientists studied the DNA of threads and residues from the Shroud in 1978. The study included DNA sequences of plants from around the world, including those native to Asia, Middle East and America, 19 Mediterranean species, along with other genetic sequences. More than 55% was linked to Near Eastern lineages.
Comparatively, 39% of DNA was linked to Indian ancestry. This may be due to the ancient trade routes that brought linen from Indus Valley.
Researchers in the new study extracted DNA from the Shroud using specialized lab environments. They then performed Next-Generation Sequencing to assess both the human and nonhuman genetic materials.
The stocktake measured how much DNA was being produced by microbes and fungi as well as plants and animals. The genetic data was compared with historical records, geographical information and contemporary records about people and plants in order to determine how and where the Shroud may have originated.
The studies suggest that the origins of this cloth are diverse. They were based on an apparent eDNA collected over time from a number of human lineages, such as K1a1b1a, (Western Eurasian),H2a2, (Western Eurasian),H1b, (Near Eastern) and H33, (Near Eastern).
The researchers also discovered molds, microbes, and salt-tolerant archaea. This reveals how different environments and cultures have shaped the fabric over time. These findings, taken together, highlight the Shroud’s complex biological history and preservation conditions.
Researchers also discovered DNA in Mediterranean corals and cultivated plants such as wheat, corn and bananas. They found it from dogs and cats, but not from pigs or chickens. The evidence is there for hundreds of years’ worth of pollution and interaction. Radiocarbon dating was used to date two threads that were used in the repair of this cloth between 1534 CE (the year it was made) and 1694 CE. This confirmed its history.
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Notes by the Authors Our findings are a significant and novel contribution to this field.
They reveal the biological evidence left behind by hundreds of years of cultural, social and environmental engagement. The radiocarbon dating of the two fabric threads from the reliquary also confirms their use for mending or patching the linen cloth that was damaged by fire during the two documented events between 1534 CE and 1694CE.”
Then, they added: The age of the Turin Shroud can’t be determined by metagenomics, because it doesn’t provide enough evidence to support a Medieval history or an origin dating back more than two millennia.
While the Shroud’s origin is still a mystery, these researches reframe it to be viewed as a record of environmental and human history. Every genetic mark, every microbial traces a whisper from the past, proof that the relic has traveled through many hands, places, and centuries.
Scientists are still fascinated by the Shroud, which occupies a unique place in the world of faith and science. It is a symbol that combines biological complexity and history, not only on fabric and pages, but hidden beneath the old DNA.
Journal Reference
- Gianni Barcaccia, Nicola Rambaldi Migliore, Giovanni Gabeli et al.
DNA Traces On The Shroud of Turin : Metagenomics of 1978 Official Sample Collection BioRxiv. DOI: 10.64898/2026.03.19.712852
