Shroud of Turin Indian DNA

A new DNA analysis, led by Gianni Barcaccia of the University of Padua, suggests that the Shroud of Turin, a highly debated Christian relic, may have originated in India. Researchers analyzed DNA extracted from dust particles collected from the Shroud of Turin in 1978, finding that approximately 38.7% of the human genomic data corresponds to Indian lineages. This unexpected finding suggests that the yarn used to make the Shroud of Turin could have been produced in the Indus Valley Civilisation region or that the cloth was handled by people of Indian descent during its long history. The study also identified DNA from various animals, plants, and bacteria, reflecting centuries of human contact and environmental exposure. While the findings add a new dimension to the Shroud of Turin's mystery and global connections, they do not resolve the question of its age or authenticity, which has been a subject of debate since its first documentation in France in 1354 and its current housing in Italy — Turin, Italy.