A new DNA analysis of the Shroud of Turin suggests that the yarn used to make the linen fabric may have originated in the Indus Valley region of ancient India. The shroud, a 4.4m by 1.1m cloth believed by some to have wrapped Jesus’s body after crucifixion, has been housed in Turin, Italy, since the 16th century.
Researchers led by Gianni Barcaccia at the University of Padova analysed DNA from material collected from the relic in 1978. They found that about 40 per cent of the human DNA on the shroud comes from Indian lineages, indicating possible historical interactions such as the import of linen from near the Indus Valley.
The study, posted on Bioarxiv and yet to be peer-reviewed, also identified DNA from various animals including dogs, cats, chickens, cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, deer and rabbits, as well as plants like carrots, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and wheat species. This suggests the cloth was exposed to a wide range of environments over centuries.
Intense handling by humans is confirmed by the presence of skin bacteria such as Cutibacterium and Staphylococcus. The researchers noted that the diverse genetic material challenges the possibility of identifying the shroud’s original DNA.
While the analysis provides insights into the geographic origins of people who interacted with the shroud, it could not determine its age. The scientists concluded that their findings elucidate the biological traces left by centuries of social, cultural and ecological engagement.
