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The Shroud of Turin

Statement

The collecting of relics related to religion really began around the time of the Crusades. Many churches prominently displayed relics and the faithful came to view and pray before them. A famous religious artifact could drastically improve the contributions that a church received. The most powerful relics were pieces of the True Cross, the actual cross Jesus was crucified upon.

Charles Mackay, in his seminal 1841 work Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, states, "Fragments, purporting to have been cut from it, were, in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, to be found in almost every church in Europe, and would, if collected together in one place, have been almost sufficient to have built a cathedral".

Probably the most famous relic of recent times is the Shroud of Turin, named for its current home in northern Italy. This large piece of linen is believed by some to be the burial cloth which was wrapped around Jesus after his crucifixion. Upon the shroud is a faint reverse or negative image of a supine man. The man has apparently been crucified and bright red stains are seen in the areas of his wounds.

The shroud gained much interest after the advent of photography allowed the positive image to be seen for the first time in 1898. The image is not a standard painting, it is more like a imprint made by wrapping the cloth around a person covered with paint.

There are several problems with the supposition that this relic is the actual burial shroud of the historical Jesus. For instance:

Most important is the fact the multiple independent carbon dating laboratories have all come up with the same date range for the artifact: 1260-1390
Playing directly into this problem is a document from the mid-14th century in which a bishop recounts the confession of the artist who created the shroud. Pope Clement VII declared the shroud to be a fake in 1389.
The "bloodstains" have been tested and found to be red ocher and vermilion tempura paint.
A large single piece of linen is inconsistent with the biblical account of the burial preparations for Jesus.

Despite these problems, believers continue to believe. For science, the question is pretty much settled.

References

Shroud of Turin - Skeptic's Dictionary
McCrone, Walter. Judgment Day for the Shroud of Turin Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1999.
Nickell, Joe. Inquest On The Shroud Of Turin (Updated Edition), Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1987.
Charles Mackay, 1841, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
Unraveling the Shroud of Turin (http://www.americanhumanist.org/shroud/schafersman.html)
Skeptic's Dictionary: Shroud of Turin (http://skepdic.com/shroud.html)