By Tim Binnall
Scientists examining DNA contained on the Shroud of Turin were surprised to find evidence indicating that the materials used to make the relic may have originated in India. The fascinating study reportedly involved researchers re-examining samples collected from the controversial artifact in 1978, with the intention of gaining new insights from the genetic information left behind on the pieces. In detailing their analysis of the trace DNA, the scientists revealed that they detected a remarkably diverse array of plants and animals that had their proverbial prints on the relic.
But what particularly intrigued scientists were their findings with regard to the people who came into contact with the shroud. Specifically, the researchers noted that nearly 40 percent of the human DNA found on the relic was from "Indian lineages." This "unexpected" result, they noted, "is potentially linked to historical interactions associated with importing linen or yarn from regions near the Indus Valley." Alas, given the complex history of the relic, the scientists were unable to determine its age based on the trace DNA from "centuries of social, cultural, and ecological engagement" with the shroud.