The Carbon Dating Controversy Original protocol agreed to in 1985 was to include seven different labs. Three were to be new AMS nuclear accelerator labs and four were to be older proportional counter labs. The tests were to be blind by also dating control samples from other linens. From three to five samples were to be cut from at least three different locations on the cloth.

The Protocol Ignored Only three labs selected All were AMS nuclear accelerators--no proportional counter labs were included The tests were not blind--all three labs knew which samples were from the Shroud Only one site was cut for the sample and cut into three sections.

The Sample Cut from one of the worst possible sites on the cloth according to archaeologists. Outside selvedge edge/corner Adjacent to a seam believed to be Medieval Handled dozens of times over the centuries Adjacent to a water stain and burn area from the 1532 fire.

What Did They Date? No chemical analysis was done on samples prior to dating in 1988 Spectral analysis on fibers from sample area done in 1996 show that it was not chemically consistent with the rest of the cloth Ten times as much salt and the presence of starch

A Re-weave? Evidence from photo-analysis of samples show threads of varying diameters Presence of starch may indicate Invisible Mending by Medieval weavers Eight centimeters were cut but one cm was eliminated due to extraneous material. What was it? Was the side strip added or part of the original cloth?

Bio-Plastic Coating? Microorganisms abound on the linen Anaerobic bacteria leave a plastic-like coating on the fibers Proven to skew C-14 dating results on other artifacts A factor in skewing the Shroud date?

Effect of 1532 Fire? Melted silver burned through the cloth. Doused with gallons of water Silver melts at 900 degrees centigrade Could the heat and carbon rich gases have created an environment for isotopic exchange thus altering the C14/C12 ratio?

Too Many questions left unanswered With only one sample from one of the worst locations possible, the C-14 dating tests of 1988 are totally inadequate to render as irrelevant one of the greatest historical artifacts of all time.

Medieval? A painted forgery? Who did it? How did he do it? Why cant we replicate it? Can the Shroud with all of its complex details be adequately explained in a Medieval context?

Recent discoveries from pollen tell a different story Evidence show the cloth most likely originated in the Holy Land

Recent Pollen Studies Two Israeli scientists: Dr. Avinoam Danin--Worlds leading expert on the flora of Palestine, author of 6 books, Professor at the Hebrew University. Dr. Uri Baruch--Palynologist, Israel Antiquities Authority, Hebrew University

Gundelia tournefortii Flowering thorn plant that grows only in Middle East--Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Israel Represents 40% of the 204 pollen analyzed from tape samples Also confirmed by flower image on the anatomical left shoulder of Shroud image Blooms only in April and May Insect pollinated species

Pistacia lentiscus Very clear image found on abdomen of Shroud image. Significant because it was a commercially purchased spice plant sold in markets Consistent with biblical record of spices in the tomb

Zygophyllum dumosum Flower images found on upper chest Endemic to Israel, Sinai and Jordan with unusual and readily identifiable leaf morphology Blooms between January and May