A new forensic study claims to have solved a long debated mystery relating to the death of Jesus Christ.
The topic of whether or not a man by the name of Jesus Christ actually existed remains a mystery still debated by historians and theologians around the globe.
Modern consensus suggests it was likely there was a man by the name of Jesus knocking about in the Middle East around 2000 years ago, however whether or not he's the son of god is still up for debate.
Regardless of that, he remains the figurehead of Christianity, with numerous relics linked to him being some of the most prized by the Church.
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And the most controversial.
The most famous relic is, of course, the Shroud of Turin.
What is the Shroud of Turin?
For those of you who aren't up to speed on your religious history, the Shroud of Turin is a piece of linen cloth which bears the faint image of a man.
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For believers, the shroud is the cloth which Jesus was placed in after his crucifixion. Meanwhile, critics and skeptics argue the shroud is forgery created by Europeans in the Middle Ages.
As the name suggests, the shroud resides in Turin Cathedral, where it is carefully looked after and kept away from the eyes of the public.
What does the latest research tell us about the Shroud of Turin?
According to recent study using forensic analysis, researcher Otangelo Grasso believes his work confirms the type of crown worn by Jesus at his crucifixion.
Anyone with a passing knowledge of Christianity will know that Jesus died wearing a Crown of Thorns on his head, but scholars have long debated what it actually looked like.
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Was it a wreath woven out of thorny branches or a more complex helmet shaped design?
The question has long divided researchers, however Grasso is now certain the crown of thorns was a more simple wreath.
Through analysing blood stains on the shroud, Grasso has argued wounds would be located on the wearer's hairline, temples and back of the head, which supports the idea of a wreath.
"The Shroud's head imagery shows concentrated bloodstains at the brow/temples and nape, with no vertex transfer across the non-contact bridge," the study explains (via MailOnline).
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"This absence of blood at the very top of the head, they note, is a key clue that rules out a helmet-style crown."
He goes on to suggest that arguments regarding extensive puncture wounds made by people who favour a helmet shaped crown can be explained by the smearing of blood after death, adding: "The circlet explains the same observations with fewer auxiliary assumptions.
"Shroud head-stain mapping, a clean vertex bridge amid otherwise active head/face transfer potential, experimental inward-spine mechanics, posture-driven posterior elevation, and the build-time/manipulation differential together provide support for a circlet over a cap," he concludes.
Of course, all off Grasso's research depends on whether or not the shroud is actually authentic, a debate which is likely to reach a definitive answer anytime soon.
Topics: Religion, History, World News
Brenna Cooper