Anthropologist Claims That Shroud Of Turin Was A Medieval Tablecloth, Not Depicting Jesus

By Mayukh Saha / Truth Theory

The Shroud of Turin is one of the most mysterious religious artifacts in the world. It is perhaps the most prized relic in Christianity and was believed to be wrapped around Jesus Christ’s body following the crucifixion. Recently, though, anthropologist David Akins claims that he has proof that the Shroud does not have this origin.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel, new videos every week:

Tracing The Shroud Of Turin

Akins claims that he traced back the origin of the Shroud of Turin to an English town. He starts off his observation by stating that the researchers found traces of alabaster in the Shroud. Medieval sculptors used this kind of rock. A separate analysis of the shroud also suggested that this is the original period of the shroud.

Akins then proceeds to join these two observations to suggest that the Shroud of Turin was most likely in existence in Burton on Trent, in Britain. This community was a center for alabaster artwork since it had massive natural deposits of alabaster.

Furthermore, Akins also posited that during the early 14th century, the Knights Templar, already heavily persecuted and on the run from France, settled here with their treasure hoard. This hoard included, apparently, the Holy Grail.  

Akins says that this mysterious group may have “created a statue in memory of the event”. Furthermore, during that time, according to Akins, “there could only be one possible symbol of the fabled hoard and the Holy Grail – and that was the Fisher King.” The Fisher King was one of the most legendary personalities said to be in charge of protecting the Holy Grail.

Read: Did Roman Book Burning Conceal The Pagan Origins Of Christianity? 

As such, the statue was created and was possibly put on display in the abbey of the town. However, Akins theorizes that the piece was later stored away when renovation work on the building began. Akins claims that this “is where the story of the Turin Shroud begins.”

From England To Turin

A piece of linen cloth was possibly used to wrap the statue for the decades during which the renovation continued. According to Akins, when the work finally finished and the time to bring out the statue came, the monks noticed something curious.

They “noticed a similarity between the features of the Fisher King impregnated onto the cloth and those of Jesus Christ.” Akins says that the statue’s alabaster had a chemical reaction due to the cellar’s mustiness which resulted in the impression being left behind on the Shroud.

Akins then theorizes that the monk may have devised a plan to present this piece of cloth as the Shroud covering Christ. He probably hoped to make a fortune from it. Akins further proposes that more Shroud of Turin studies have revealed organic elements similar to fish and pollen. Furthermore, its dimensions (13ft x 3ft) suggest that the linen was nothing more than a tablecloth before being used to wrap the statue of the Fisher King.

Akins then claims that someone in Florence may have bought the Shroud, which would be the reason behind it being found in Turin. The abbey in Burton was a prominent center of the Florence wool trade, according to Burton.

However, as confident as Akins is about his theory, no signs of this speculative statue of the Fisher King has ever been found. Akins claims that the monks who created the Shroud of Turin hoax may have destroyed it. However, he still hopes that the statue remains buried on the premises of the Abbey. If it does exist and is found, then that would be definitive and irrefutable proof for Akins’ theory.

However, till then, these are only claims, albeit with considerable scientific backing. 

 

Image credit: Dianelos Georgoudis