It seems like every other week a new revelation about the infamous Shroud of Turin emerges that either validates its authenticity or destroys all of its credibility. This week we’re on the Destroys Credibility phase, as an actual burial cloth from the period has been located and it doesn’t correlate with the Shroud:

The Vatican-owned Shroud of Turin is a holy relic said to be the burial cloth of Jesus, and bears an image purported to be his face. It has been held in the Italian city of Turin since 1578.

Scholars have cast doubt on the Shroud of Turin’s authenticity, citing scientific evidence such as radiocarbon testing that date it to medieval times. The Jerusalem garment reinforces that scepticism by providing a genuine burial cloth from Jesus’ day to which it can be compared.

The Jerusalem garment was found nine years ago in a tomb in the Hinnom Valley opposite the walls of the Old City in the Israeli capital.

Tests on the cloth also showed the man who was buried in it suffered from leprosy. This is the first evidence, Dr Gibson said, that the disease was found in the Jerusalem area in the days of Jesus, who is said in the Bible to have miraculously cured lepers.

Source

There are no shortage of theories that explain the existence of The Shroud of Turin, a burial cloth that many believe rested upon the face of Jesus Christ. A new hypothesis has been brought forth by artist Lillian Schwartz, known for theorizing that the Mona Lisa may be Leonardi Da Vinci in drag.

This new theory suggests that Leonardo Da Vinci may have created the Shroud of Turin:

Times of India:

According to the study, the Renaissance artist created the artefact by using pioneering photographic techniques and a sculpture of his own head—in fact, it suggests the image on the relic is da Vinci’s face which could have been projected onto the cloth, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The claims are made in a TV documentary that describes how da Vinci could have scorched his facial features on to the linen using a sculpture of his and face and a camera obscura—an early photographic device. The programme says the fabric could have been hung over a frame in a blacked-out room and coated with silver sulphate, a substance readily available in 15th century Italy which would have made it light-sensitive.

When the sun’s rays passed through a lens in one of the walls, da Vinci’s facial shape and features would have been projected on to the material, creating a permanent image.