The Blood and the Shroud

by Ian Wilson

Book Overview

An internationally acclaimed expert on the controversial and awe-inspiring Shroud of Turin offers new evidence that this mysterious artifact might be real after all. Photos throughout. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684853590
• ISBN13: 9780684853598
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 333 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Author's Style Makes This Book a Favorite

Though the Shroud of Turin is infinitely fascinating, the research available on it is finite: the pollen; the negativity of its image; the bloodstains; the theorized Mandylion connection; its accurate depiction of the anatomy of a man who died by crucifixion; the evidence of Roman-style execution, down to the images of the weights on the ends of the whip used to beat the victim; evidence of first century Jewish burial practices, etc. All of this evidence adds up to two conclusions, neither of which can ever sit comfortably in the mind of an intelligent person. One conclusion is that the Shroud is a diabolical, intricate fake. It was designed by some Medieval forger who could predict how scholars, in a variety of fields, centuries hence, would seek authenticity, using features no Medieval audience would require or even accept - for example, Jesus' nudity and nail marks through the wrists, rather than the hands. The other conclusion is that the Shroud is the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. *That* conclusion is so stunning, so truly terrifying in its implications, that the intelligent person, while intrigued and delighted by the Shroud's mysterious features, struggles to find conclusive evidence that the Shroud cannot possibly be what it very much appears to be. In any case, the evidence to support either conclusion is finite. If you read this book, or Mark Antonacci's book, or any number of other publications on the Shroud, you will be going over similar intellectual terrain. You will read of neutron flux, the sacking of Constantinople, the Knights Templar, and the peculiarities of Jerusalem's flora. As an artist, Wilson pays more attention to artist Isabel Piczek's theories than other authors have -- and that is a very good thing -- but, otherwise, Shroud fans will have read about much of this material before. What set Ian Wilson's book apart for me was the author's style. Amidst the hard evidence, Wilson was willing to give us his own subjective response to seeing the Shroud for the first time. Wilson was willing to quote others' astounded reactions as well. Wilson wrote of scholars whose theories he does not accept with wit and graciousness. He was also willing to share with those of us outside Shroud politics the ins and outs of the Shroud world's gossip and infighting. For these reasons of style, humanity, humility, and humor, Wilson's is my favorite Shroud book so far. I like it that he doesn't allow the pressure to prove the Shroud's value via hard science to silence his humanity. Wilson strikes me as a wonderful chap; reading his book, I wished I could be discussing the Shroud with him in person in a pub somewhere in the soggy English countryside.

Science in Action

It seems that some of the previous 'reviewers' of the book have not read it yet, based on the nonsequiters to Wilson's text presented in their reviews. The discussion of carbon-dating alone is worth the price of the book. The carbon-dating tests on the Shroud are being challenged not by the 'Shroudies', but because of a discovery made by an American microscopist a few years ago which is relevant to ALL carbon-dating tests on artifacts. Briefly, the microscopist had reason to challenge the assessment of a Mayan artifact which was determined to be 'modern' because of a varnish-like coating on it. The coating turned out to be an acrylic-like accumulation of bacteria, fungi, and other biogenic material, hardened into a shell around the artifact. Because this material has a higher concentration of isotope carbon-14, the tests may assign any artifact coated with it a younger age than if the material were not present. When blood in the folds of the Mayan artifact was tested, it turned out to be authentic (400 AD). After this discovery, the Shroud (and many other objects) were examined, and the fibers were found to have this coating (the photos of the coated linen fibers are stunning!) This is indeed a wonderful new tool to assist in dating artifacts, and in potentially reducing the inconsistencies observed previously (old bones embedded in younger rock, for example) by many scientists. Actually, the carbon-dating tests of 1988 should have been discarded on the basis that the three labs were told the age of each of the samples (including 'controls') before they tested them, and they knew which one was from the Shroud. In any case, Wilson's discussions on carbon-dating and on the methods that may have been used to forge the Shroud are fascinating, as are the photos. It should be mentioned that the reviewer who finds McCrones 'painted image' theory to be compelling probably did not read the book. His 'paint' theory has been discarded by all but a few scientists who have studied the Shroud. In fact, McCrone's previous claim to fame, the determination that the Vinland Map was a forgery, has also been discredited by newer and better tests. Wilson is scrupulously fair to those who do not believe the Shroud is the burial cloth of the Nazarene, and he discusses all disagreements openly and fairly. This book gives an excellent summary of the scientific work done to date on the Shroud, and of the history of it. Wilson never says that the Shroud has been proven genuine - he leaves the evidence to the reader to evaluate.

Very well balanced

Despite the fantastic tagline, Wilson gives a very well balanced account of recent Shroud research. Most importantly, he does not prove that the Shroud is real...and makes it very clear that he is not claiming to, either. Rather, he asserts that it is *possible* that the Shroud is real, and gives some very compelling evidence in support of this assertion.Wilson gives a great deal of time to Shroud skpetics. There are few books where such fair argument is given, without being entirely self-defeating. Anyone who is convinced that, beyond a reasonable doubt, the Shroud is a fake, should read this book. It may not change your mind, but it will definitely make you think.

The theories of the Shroud being a masterful painting...

The theories of the Shroud being a masterful painting byDaVinci (ignoring the cruel fact that DaVinci was just a few years oldwhen the Shroud first came to Italy--I don't think he was that bright) or a brilliant early "photograph" of a rotting corpse are even more unbelievable then the possible authenticity of the fabric. Wilson clearly documents the history of the Shroud and every scrap of evidence for its existence back to the time of Jesus--criticisms of Wilson in earlier reviews show that these individuals have not read the text. He also goes to great lengths to demonstrate that carbon dating results can be (and have been shown to be) skewed due to contamination. The Shroud itself has been backwoven and repaired several times; any chance this could alter the results? Other criticisms of Christians appreciating the Shroud as a possible relic or image of Jesus show no knowledge of Christian theology. Please read the book before you attempt to bash it.

Riveting!

True Believers of the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin as the burial raiment of Jesus will mutter that the author, a True Believer himself, does not go far enough to propound their position on the matter. Those That Scoff, however, will howl their ridicule and dismay that the author could be so blinded by personal bias. Can't win, poor devil. However, as a non-Christian who has only an academic interest that the image on the shroud is that of Jesus or not, I found the book to be an enlightening and thoroughly fascinating treatment of the enigmatic cloth as a historical object. There are Mysteries for which we'll never have an answer, and I suspect this is one of them. Best leave belief to the faith of those who are so inclined.