RESEARCH NAIL WOUNDS

In May of 2012 Pete Schumacher and Dr. Petrus Soons decided to begin a study of the nail wounds, the lance wound, the presence of maybe coins over both eyes and signs of a possible phylactery shape on the left arm.
Part of this investigation, the presence of coins and the phylactery had been done in the nineties of last century by Mary and Alan Whanger and we tried to reconfirm their findings. The study was undertaken at the Shroud Exhibit and Museum located in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
The primary image used, was the 1978 full-size color image on Kodak Duratrans film purchased from Barrie Schwortz in 2009. It is illuminated by proper color temperature diffuse lighting. The display fixture was custom designed for the specific purpose of image analysis.

Full-size color image Barrie Schwortz

A VP-8 Image Analyzer system was used in one element of the study. Pete Schumacher used multiple digital and analog analysis methods to compare study results. He wanted to insure, that it would be possible for others to duplicate the work, assuming they are experienced in the practices necessary to digitize images properly from photographs and to perform subsequent digital analysis. The digital capture process is critical and essential to the quality of the studies. High accuracy is available nowadays through digital images and processes.

Pete Schumacher with VP8 Image Analyzer

THE THREE NAIL WOUNDS

When we look at photographs of the Shroud, we can see that there are two nail wounds on the front image. One on the left arm crossed over the right arm, localized in the wrist area and the other wound on the front of the left foot crossed over the right foot and on the dorsal image a wound on the sole of the right foot. We may assume that the other wrist, that is not visible because of the overlying left arm, also will have a nail wound.
Roman nails were made by blacksmiths and produced in shapes that could be triangular or quadrangular and many times they were made quadrangular near the top of the nail and near the lower end they would be three-edged, having a sharpened point. There are in museums many examples of these Roman nails.

Roman nails

Roman nails in exposition

THE NAIL WOUND IN THE LEFT WRIST IN THE FRONTAL IMAGE OF THE SHROUD

1) The wound in the dorsal part of the wrist is quadrangular and the edges are very well visible. Measuring the sides gives the values of 12 x 17 mm. The square shape is seemingly caused by the fact that the upper part of the nail was the last part that penetrated, and the three-edged part would be in the wood of the cross. This location is also very interesting because it shows that the nail would penetrate in the part of the wrist were the small bones are situated, like Dr. Barbet already observed in the thirties of last century. This would fix the nail and the hand very well. In Christian art you will almost always see that the nail is driven through the palm of the hands, but that will not give a very good fixation of the nails.

Nail wound left wrist

Drawing nail wound

THE NAIL WOUND IN THE LEFT FOOT IN THE FRONTAL IMAGE OF THE SHROUD

2) When we look at the wound in the frontal image on the left foot, we will also see a quadrangular shape of the nail wound, the same as in the wrist wound and also because the upper part of the nail was the last part to penetrate here. Measuring the size of the rectangular wound we see that the values are 15 x 22 mm. It is interesting to note that this is larger than the 12 x 17 mm rectangle in the wrist area, so the conclusion is basically that different nails were used to fixate the wrists and the feet. To fixate the feet a larger nail was used, also because the left foot was placed on top of the right foot and then one large nail was used to fixate the feet. If you measure two feet on top of each other, you can measure that the distance from the sole of the right foot till the top of the left foot will be around 12 cm. So, you will need a nail of at least 20 cm to fixate the two feet.

In Trier, Germany, is kept a Roman nail that is considered an authentic nail and brought there by the Empress Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine, in 326 A.D. It is called the Holy Nail of Trier and has a length of 21 cm.

Nail wound left foot

Drawing nail wound

THE NAIL WOUND IN THE DORSAL IMAGE OF THE SHROUD IN THE SOLE OF THE RIGHT FOOT

3) Now we direct our attention to the wound on the dorsal side of the image and that is in the sole of the right foot. We find here a three-edged wound with angles of about 60 degrees of the edges and measuring we find that these sides are 15 x 20 x 20 mm. Remember that the size of the rectangular part of the nail in the entrance part of the wound was 15 x 22 mm. So, in the exit wound in the sole of the right foot the shape is triangular which makes it easier to penetrate. The distance of the upper side of the left foot till the underside of the right foot is about 12 cm, which leaves about 9 cm to penetrate the wood of the cross and gives a complete fixation of the two feet. Movement was only possible in the knees, but not in the feet.

Nail wound right foot

Nail wound right foot

Drawing nail wound

Measurements of the 3 nail wounds

We made a PowerPoint Presentation, of this part of the research and you can see the different measurements and the size of the three nail wounds.

Start at page 25

Click to see Research Nail Wounds

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Research Phylacteries arm, head

In May of 2012 Dr. Petrus Soons and Pete Schumacher did an investigation to see if Alan Whanger was right when he stated that he found “proof” that on the left arm of the Man on the Shroud there were indications that He had a phylactery bound on the left arm and also a phylactery on the front of the head.

Remembering God’s command to the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 6:8, to “bind them
(God’s words) as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead”, we (the Whangers) wondered whether the box found between the eyes might be a head phylactery.
The Hebrew word for phylactery is tefillin. Each tefillin contains tiny parchments on which Scripture verses are written. There are head phylacteries and arm phylacteries. A head phylactery is known as SHEL ROSH and has four Scripture compartments. The Whangers tell in their book: “A curious finding on the Shroud which also may be seen on many of the early icons is, what looks rather like a three-sided box (the top side is missing) above the nose, just above eyebrow level. There is a V-shaped image extending from the base of the box down over the bridge of the nose They concluded that that could be the image of a head phylactery.

Image 2: Shell Rosh, head phylactery

An arm phylactery is known as SHEL YAD and has one Scripture compartment. Each compartment held a prescribed Scripture, each different from the others, carefully hand lettered on tiny parchment, and then carefully folded and stitched in place. Every phylactery was highly venerated, and extreme care was taken that it be perfectly made and meticulously cared for according to strict religious regulations. Phylacteries were (and are still) worn on the head and on the non-dominant arm by orthodox Jewish males during times of prayer. Their presence clearly identifies the wearer as a Jew since nobody else would ever wear one.

Image 1: Shell Yad, arm phylactery

It certainly was not customary to bury a body with a phylactery on it. Indeed, any contact of a phylactery with a corpse was unthinkable, for this would have made it ritually unclean. Of course, if a man was wearing a phylactery at the time of death, it would have been buried with the body, because according to Jewish custom, anything that was in contact with the body at the time of death, was buried with the body. Scripture makes no mention of a phylactery at the time of Jesus’ death and burial.
Concerning the arm phylactery, the blood flow on the two arms is different. On the left arm it is repeatedly interrupted diagonally, which might have been caused by the strap of an arm phylactery. An arm phylactery is held in place at elbow level by a loop of leather strap, and the strap then is wound around the arm seven times and secured by entwining around the hand and fingers with a ritual knot.

Since it was not customary to bury phylacteries with the dead, and since in this case the phylacteries were likely a most offensive means of mocking (by the Roman soldiers ??), why were they not removed before burial ? There are at east two reasons: it was customary to bury with the body anything that was in touch with the body at the time of death, and it was also customary to bury with the body anything that had the lifeblood on it.

So, this was the information that Pete Schumacher and Petrus Soons had to go on as described by The Whangers.
They checked the left arm with the VP-8 Image Analyzer (Level Slicing) and used different methods to check the left arm and could indeed find the 3D relief of the binding of what could have been the straps around this arm (See different photographs). The different blood flows are clearly visible with their interruptions. So, it is quite possible that Alan Whanger was right in his statements about the phylactery on the left arm. You can even count the seven “valleys” were the strip would have been present on the arm.

Image 3: VP8 Image Analyzer 3D relief interruption blood flow left arm

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

Image 7

Level Slicing VP8, showing interruption in blood flow

 

There are also photographs of the Vignon Markings, showing the box between the eyebrows and an icon that shows this detail.
The photograph made during the research with the VP8 Image Analyzer shows a little vertical, square, relief on this indicated area.

Photo 11: Vignon Markings N° 3 and 4

Photo 12: Icon Jesus with Markings 3 and 4

Photo 13: Image Head VP8 Image Analyzer square vertical relief above/between eyebrows

 

So, there are indications in the 3D investigations that there could possibly be these objects on the left arm and between the eyebrows, but, further research with more sophisticated 3D investigations in the future surely has to be done !!!!!

 

Research Lance

 

Pete Schumacher and Dr. Petrus Soons in May 2012 did also measurements of the SPEAR wound on the right side of the thorax of the Man on the Shroud.

Photo 1: HASTA

The type of spear used is a HASTA or Roman thrusting spear. Some have suggested that the type of spear that would have been used was a pilum, or Roman battle lance, which has a long thin blade, but this is not congruent with the Shroud image. Also, the hasta is the type of spear that is depicted with Christ on ampullae, frescoes and other art-work. The hasta is also depicted on contemporary denarius coins of Tiberius Caesar. The width of the spear head does fit the wound in the chest. The length of the spear head, in examples that we find in museums, is about 23 cm, which would have been long enough to penetrate the lungs and also penetrate the right auricle of the heart. In the Gospel accounts of the death of Jesus, it is recorded that his (right) side was pierced and blood and water flowed out. On the Shroud, coming from the spear wound, there is a flow of blood and a light or clear substance which has been determined to be serum albumin. The spear would have first pierced the lung cavity, from which came the serum (the water of the Scripture), as is consistent with conditions of trauma. The flow of blood was released when the spear entered the right atrium of the heart. This atrium is after death the only part of the heart that is filled with blood. The blood and serum that flowed from the lungs and the heart are typical of post-mortem bleeding.

Photo 4. Spear wound with blood/serum overflow

If the individual had not been dead, his legs would have been broken to hasten death. Scripture records that this was done to the other two men that were crucified with Jesus, but not to Jesus because he was already dead. In many places, bodies of crucifixion victims were left on the cross until their bones were picked clean by scavengers. This was not done in Israel, as it was very offensive to the Jews to leave a body on the cross overnight. If victims were still alive late in the day, it was customary to break their legs, so that hey would die quickly and their bodies could be buried or otherwise disposed of before sundown. In the type of crucifixion shown on the Shroud, the individual could breathe in, but he could not breathe out. In order to breathe out, he would have to lift himself up by pressing against the nails in his feet and stretching the knees, an agonizing process. When the individual became too weak to endure this excruciating struggle, or if his legs were broken so that he could no longer lift himself up, he would die of asphyxiation in about ten or fifteen minutes.

Also, the execution squad, consisting of one officer and four soldiers, whose job it was to crucify victims, were themselves crucified if their victims escaped. They were, therefore, extremely careful to make quite certain that their victims were without question completely dead, which is another proof that Jesus indeed died on the cross, apart from the signals of rigor mortis that we can see in the Shroud image.

Photo 6: Drawing of spear wound

Measuring the spear wound on the 1:1 Kodak color image we found that this wound measured 42 mm long and 18 mm wide, which is congruent with the HASTA spear.
We checked also the wound in the VP-8 Image Analyzer (see photograph 7) for control and came to the same result.

´Photo 7. Measurement of spear wound

As an ADDENDUM it is interesting to explain how Alan and Mary Whanger came to their conclusions. Alan had developed the POLARIZED IMAGE OVERLAY TECHNIQUE and that was a means of comparing two different images by projecting those images, one on top of the other, onto a lenticular screen (one with tiny vertical grooves) through polarizing filters placed at right angles one to the other in front of the projector lenses; and then looking through a third polarizing filter, which, when rotated, fades the images in and out, thus enabling minute and detailed comparisons.
In the chapter ADDENDUM we will show a DVD that explains this method of comparing two different images, a DVD made by the Whangers themselves.

Photo 5. VP8 Image Analyzer spear wound in 3D

Photo 2. Hasta in Museum

Photo 3. Copy Hasta in exposition Shriud (Panama)

 

Researh Leptons

 

The possibility of the presence of coins over the eyes was first raised, when three scientists, John P. Jackson, Eric J. Jumper and R.W. (Bill) Mottern, the instigators of the 1978 Shroud of Turin Research Project, put a photograph of the Shroud face in a VP-8 Image Analyzer, and saw, to their astonishment, an accurate three-dimensional representation rather than the irregular and distorted image resulting from all ordinary photographs and paintings. Two button-like objects, one over each eye, were visible; it was suggested they might be coins which had been used to keep the eyes of the dead closed, a practice common to many peoples for many centuries. British historian Ian Wilson mentioned several coins from the time of Pontius Pilate which would correspond to the size of the “buttons”, about fifteen millimeters or five-eighths of an inch in diameter.

Photo 2. Lepton with Shepherd´s crook

Father Filas did a lot of research on the presence of these coins. He noticed something that he had not seen before, a sort of design directly over the right eye, four curving capital letters, and also something that looked like a shepherd’s crook. He identified the one over the right eye definitely as a lituus of Pontius Pilate and the one over the left eye as a Pontius Pilate lepton known as the JOULIA (Julia) which was struck only during a sixth-month period in A.D. 29 in honor of the mother of Tiberias Caesar.

Photo 4. Front and back of lepton with Shepherd´s crook from Soons collection

These findings received a mixed reaction; while some accepted them as at least possible, others met them with derision, also because the letters had a misspelling. Later, Father Filas found in numismatic shops several leptons with the same misspelling.

Alan and Mary Whanger decided to do research on these coins with their Polarized Image Overlay Technique and that revealed seventy-four points of congruence (PC) between the image on the right eye of the Shroud and Filas’s lituus lepton, and seventy-three PC between the left eye image and the Joulia lepton. Remember, in a court of law it takes only fourteen PC to establish the same source of fingerprints. These coins are much smaller than a fingerprint. Some of Fila’s coins, show a clipped edge on one side that matche a clipped edge on the Shroud image.

These coins were crudely designed and crudely struck. They were made from cast bronze bars of coin blanks into which the design was hammered and then the coin was cut from the bar, leaving a flat or clipped edge on one side. The iron dies would last only for perhaps a thousand or two thousand coins and then would deform or break and a new die would have to be made. Hence there are countless variations of the same design, many misspellings, and many variations of position.

Photo 3. Cast bronze bar for production leptons

The images were probably formed by corona discharge, where ionizing electrical energy first spreads over the surface of any object in the electrical field, whatever it may be-flesh, hair. cloth, leather, metal etc. The sparks or ions then tend to be discharged as streamers which may be two inches or more in length, and they are discharged from irregular or elevated areas rather than from smooth surfaces.

Photo 5. Positive photograph face with outline of two coins

Photo 6. Anaglyph photograph face with coins. USE 3D GLASSES

On the photographs you can see the “coins” over the eyes. In the photographs of the VP-8 Image Analyzer they are rather obvious. We were not able to see the details during our investigations, but the VP-8 Image Analyzer shows clearly, 3D, almost round objects on top of the left and right eyelids.

Photo 7. VP-8 Image Analyzer with on eyelids in vertical relief round objects

 

THE HALO AROUND THE HEAD OF THE MAN ON THE SHROUD

By DR. PETRUS SOONS

 

Is this the proof that the EDESSA Cloth (Tetradiplon, Mandylion) and the Shroud of Turin are identical?

ABSTRACT: The discovery of a HALO around the head of the Man on the Shroud of Turin in different photographs and two other details in the neck area under the beard are a strong indication that the theory of historian IAN WILSON, that the Cloth of EDESSA and the Shroud of Turin are one and the same, is most probably correct. These details are being found also regularly in icons and mosaics portraying the face of Jesus Christ in the Byzantine Empire as of the VI-th Century A.D., showing that artists had access to the Cloth of EDESSA and copied very truthfully the details that they encountered. If true, it would date the Shroud back to the year 525 A.D., proving that the piece of cloth used in the radio-carbon dating of 1988 was probably not representative for the whole Shroud.

Photo 0. Dr. Soons showing HALO in Raleigh, N. C. 2008

 

1988: THE RADIO CARBON DATING OF THE SHROUD OF TURIN.A great difficulty for Sindonology was that in 1988 the credibility of the Shroud of Turin as a genuine two-thousand-year old burial cloth had been very seriously undermined by highly publicized radio carbon dating tests which had adjudged it to date between the years 1260 AD and 1390 AD. The piece of cloth that was cut to perform the tests, was divided in three and given to three different Laboratories and given that fact, you would expect that the three different dates would be almost the same, which was not the case, but varied from 1260 to 1390 AD. A team made up of 6 physicists, chemists and statiticians drafted a scientific review report which was subjected to peer review and then accepted and published in August 2020 in the international journal Entropy. The report is entitled “ STATISTICAL AND PROACTIVE ANALYSIS OF AN INTER-LABORATORY COMPARISON; THE RADIOCARBON DATING OF THE SHROUD OF TURIN “ and it concluded that there were statistical anomalies, in particular in the linear relationship between the position of the samples and their age which makes the average age calculated by the Laboratories of Oxford, Zurich and Arizona meaningless.(For a summary of this article see under ADDENDUM—” The Radiocarbon Dating of the Shroud “).

It is a fact that there are many indications that date the Shroud back to the first century AD.
INDICATIONS OF THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE SHROUD OF TURIN AS A 2000 YEAR OLD BURIAL CLOTH:
First of all there are the qualities of the image, that combined, make this image unique in the world.
1) The image has the quality of a photographic negative
2) The superficiality of the image on the upmost fibers of the Shroud
3) Distance information in the grayscale of the image, 3D information

4) The image is anatomically correct
5) Monochromatic coloration of the image
6) No adhesion of the fibers and no impregnation in the fibers
7) Real human blood in the wounds of the image

8) Serum separation of the post-mortem blood under UV lightning
9) No direccionality, the image was formed collimated

10)X-ray properties in the image
11)No outlines visible of the body image
12)Image formed by a chemical process, oxidation, dehydration and conjugation of the cellulose of the fibers.

OTHER INDICATIONS OF AUTHENTICITY:

1) RAY ROGERS proposed a different kind of dating for the linen, a process that uses microscopic spectrometric mass pyrolisis of the linen-vanillin-lignine proportions. He demonstrated that the Shroud could be between 1300 and 3000 years old.

Photo 1. Ray Rogers vanilline dating

2) The HUNGARIAN PRAYER BOOK, that is dated between 1192 and 1195 AD and that shows a drawing with many of the details present in the Shroud, like the folding of the arms, the non-visibility of the thumbs, the herringbone weave of the Shroud and the inverted 3 bloodspot on the front of the head and also the so-called “pokerholes”.

Photo 2. Hungarian Prayer Book

3) THE SUDARIUM OF OVIEDO. This cloth is mentioned in the Gospel of John as being in the tomb in Jerusalem and is presently in Oviedo, Spain. Scientifically spoken we know that it covered the same body as the Man on the Shroud of Turin. The history of this Sudarium is known as of the year 614 AD. (See ADDENDUM for the article of the SUDARIUM).

Photo 3

Photo 4

Sudarium of Oviedo

4) TEXTILE ARCHAEOLOGY: Mechtild Flury-Lemberg, a textile archaeologist from Switzerland, noted that the details of the stitching that joins the side-strip to the main fabric of the Shroud is the same as a peculiar type of stitching found in textiles in graves in the fortress of Masada from the first century AD. (Destroyed by the Romans in 71 A.D.)

Photo 5. Mechtild Flury Lemberg, side strip

5) The so-called VIGNON MARKINGS. Many of the details of the head and in the face of the Man on the Shroud are being seen in images of the face of Jesus Christ in icons and mosaics as of the VI-th century AD in the Byzantine Empire. There are also images that resemble the face of te Man on the Shroud in the Catacombs in Rome from the first centuries AD, meaning that these artists had available examples of the face on the Shroud, that were seemingly already in existence.

Photo 6. Vignon markings (see 20)

6) The discovery of a SOLID OVAL OBJECT by Dr. Petrus Soons, under the beard of the Man on the Shroud, with on the surface THREE HEBREW LETTERS, forming the word TS’ON, that has the meaning of SACRIFICIAL LAMB, meaning Jesus Christ.

Photo 7. Solid oval object with 3 Hebrew letters

7) The discovery of the HALO AROUND THE HEAD by Dr. Petrus Soons, in the image of the Man on the Shroud and two other details under the beard that indicate that the Shroud of Turin and the Mandylion of Edessa are one and the same cloth, bringing back the presence of the Shroud to at least the year 525 AD.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EDESSA CLOTH.

Following a a (very) brief history of the Edessa Cloth (= The Shroud of Turin). Not all the details are accepted by the historians, but it gives a general idea of what happened to the Linen.
30 AD; According to the Acts of Taddeus, King ABGAR- V of the city of Edessa receives an image of Jesus Christ from the disciple Taddeus and by touching it he is cured from lepra and converts to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Photo 1. Disciple Tadeo offers mandylion to King Abgar 30 AD

55 AD; The second son of king ABGAR becomes king after the death of his father in the year 50 AD and his brother in 55 AD. He converts to paganism again and starts a prosecution of the Christians in his kingdom. The Cloth bearing the image of Jesus Christ is hidden in a niche above one of the city gates and consequently the whereabouts of this hiding place is being forgotten.

525 AD; Rediscovery of the Cloth during remodeling of the city walls after a disastrous inundation that destroys a great part of the city. It is being recognized as the Cloth that was brought to Edessa by the disciple Taddeus because the tradition of that story was still known.

Photo 2. Discovery Shroud in Edessa 527 AD

943-944 AD; The Emperor of Byzantium sends an army of 70.000 soldiers to Edessa to take possession of the Cloth of Edessa. He offers 200 Muslim prisoners and a great amount of silver to the Kalif of the city. Edessa at that moment was in Muslim possession. The Kalif agrees eventually and forces the Christians of the town to hand over the Cloth to Kurkuas the general of the Byzantine army. In august of 944 the Cloth is paraded in the city of Constantinople and put in a chapel of the royal Palace together with all the other relics of the passion of Christ.

Photo 3. Constantinople Emperor receives mandylion of Edessa 944 AD

1204 AD; After a short siege of the city of Constantinople the Crusaders of the IV-th Crusade take possession of the city and for three days are looting everything they could lay their hands on. In times of distress the Cloth of Edessa would be transferred to the church of Saint Mary of Blachernae to protect the city from disasters, where it was seen a short time before the sack of the city by one of the French crusaders, Robert de Clari. This gentleman describes that the Cloth disappeared, and nobody knew the whereabouts anymore.

1355 AD; In Lirey a small village in the north of France a nobleman by the name of Geoffrey de Charny holds an exposition of a Cloth, telling that this was the original funeral Cloth that covered the body of Jesus Christ in the tomb. On the side of the family of his wife, Jeanne de Vergy, he was related to one of the crusaders, Otto de la Roche, who took seemingly the Shroud from the church of Saint Mary of Blachernae in Constantinople about 150 years earlier, became then the Duke of Athens in Greece and brought it later to France.

Photo 4. Lirey pilgrims amulet 1354 AD

1355 AD: From this year on the history of the Shroud is well known and recorded. In the year 1453 AD the granddaughter of Geoffrey the Charny, Margaretha de Charny, sold the Linen to the SAVOYE Family and their descendants were in the possession of the Shroud till the year 1983 when the last king of Italy (Savoye family) donated the Shroud to the Pope of Rome after his death.

1532 AD Fire breaks out in the Sainte Chapelle in Chambery, were the Shroud was being kept and it was only in the nick of time that the silver casket, containing the Shroud, could be saved, but the Shroud had received already quite some damage.

Photo 5. Chapel Chambery 1532 AD

1534 AD: The POOR CLARES nuns repair the damage of the fire of 1532 and stitch the Shroud to a strong Holland backing cloth. This was only removed during the restauration of 2002 in Turin.

Photo 6. Clare nuns repair Shroud after fire

Photo 7. Exposition Shroud Turin 19th Century

THE BOOK OF MARK GUSCIN: THE IMAGE OF EDESSA Published in 2010.

Mark Guscin did a research of the Cloth of Edessa in the archives of the monasteries in ATHOS in Greece and translated many of the texts regarding the Cloth of Edessa. His conclusion was:
“ ——–It is true that the same texts (and numerous others) refer to nothing more than a facial image when describing the FORMATION of the portrait (be it before the passion or in Gethsemane), but even so it can confidently be stated that some people at some times believed, rightly or wrongly, that the Image of Edessa contained a full-body imprint of Jesus of Nazareth.

Photo 8. Book Mark Guscin

Photo 9. Mandylion Book Guscin

Photo 9a. Depictions cloth of Edessa

Photo 26. Guscin Mandylion

 

OTHER INDICATIONS THAT THE IMAGE OF EDESSA CONTAINED A FULL-BODY IMPRINT OF THE BODY OF JESUS OF NAZARETH.

1) The sermon in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople of Gregory Referendarius in 944 AD, just after the arrival of the Cloth in the city (from a manuscript in the Vatican Library):—————–For the radiance was not depicted with the techniques of the art of painting, which fashions images—————-“(page 85)”————————-This reflection—-has been imprinted only by the sweat from the face of the ruler of life, falling like drops of blood, and by the finger of God———————Because that from which (the true imprint of Christ) they dripped, was also embellished by drops from his own side. Both are highly instructive—–blood and water there, here sweat and image.——–The source of living water can be seen and it gives us water, showing us that the origin of the image made by sweat (FACE) is in fact of the same nature as the origin of that which makes the liquid flow from the side (LANCE WOUND).”
2) A French Crusader, ROBERT de CLARI, who toured Constantinople in 1203, before the taking and the sacking of the city, wrote in his memoirs: ———- “ There was another church which was called My Lady St. Mary of Blachernae, where there was the SHROUD in which Our Lord had been wrapped, which every Friday raised itself upright, so that one could see the figure of Our Lord on it.”
3) Letter of Theodore Angelos (cousin of two Byzantine Emperors) to Pope Innocent III , dated 1st of august 1205 AD, one year after the sacking of Constantinople. In this letter he writes: “Theodore Angelus wishes long life for Innocent III, Lord and Pope at old Rome, in the name of Michael, Lord of Epirus and in his own name. In April of last year, a crusading army, having falsely set out to liberate the Holy Land, instead laid waste to the city of Constantine. During the sack, troops of Venice and France looted even the holy sanctuaries. The Venetians partitioned the treasures of gold, silver and ivory while the French did the same with the relics of the saints and THE MOST SACRED OF ALL, THE LINEN IN WHICH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS WRAPPED AFTER HIS DEATH AND BEFORE HIS RESURRECTION. We know that the sacred objects are preserved by their predators in Venice, in France and in other…………………………………”

THEORY OF IAN WILSON 1978

Ian Wilson developed the theory in the seventies that based on one of the names given to the Cloth of Edessa namely: “TETRADIPLON” or “doubled in four”, he had very strong indications that the Cloth of Edessa and the Shroud of Turin are identical. TETRADIPLON is a word that is not in normal usage in the Greek Language, but is only used for the Cloth of Edessa. Ian Wilson was educated as a historian at Magdalen College, Oxford, U.K.

Photo 10. Tetradiplon

When the Shroud is “doubled-in-four” (four times two folds) and mounted on a board, only the face is visible. The length of the Shroud is 442 cm, and the width is 113 cm. When you double the Shroud in four the sizes are 113 x 55.25 cm. The “doubled-in-four” crease lines, visible in raking light, were identified by Dr. John JACKSON in 1979, consistent with this one-time “doubled-in-four” folding arrangement.

Photo 11. Tetradiplom folds John Jackson

In his latest book: “THE SHROUD, Fresh Light on the 2000-year –old Mystery…..” Wilson gives a lot of proofs for his theory.
INVESTIGATIONS DONE ON A VARIETY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES
During the last three years (since 2008) I did a lot of research on the 3D images that were created, including the holograms and lenticular images that were produced. The conversions from 2D to 3D were done based on black-and-white photographs of 1931 made by Giuseppe ENRIE and in the process, I found that around the head of the Man on the Shroud a HALO was visible. It was very similar to the HALO that is visible around the head when you double the Shroud in four (four times two folds) cover it with a precious cloth and make a round opening to make the face visible.

Photo 12. Tetradiplon doubled in 4

Photo 13. Mandylion head visible only

Later I had access to photographs of Vernon Miller and Barrie Schwortz made during the STURP investigations in 1978. The Ultra-Violet photographs made by Miller showed clearly this HALO.

Photo 14. Vernon Miller photo mandylion

Photo 15. Vernon Miller halo visible

Photo 16. Halo around head photo Vernon Miller

Photo 17. Positive image body

Later investigations included raking light photographs (STURP 1978), and also images created by the so-called Image Overlay technique by Aldo Guerreschi and Alan Whanger, also showing this HALO. In 2010 this was also confirmed by Tom D’Muhalah (Raleigh, N.C.) and Avinoam Danin (ISRAEL), studying photographs of Vernon Miller and Giuseppe Enrie.

Photo 18. Halo photo Giuseppe Enrie

The reason this HALO is visible around the head in a variety of photographs is, that according to the theory of Ian WILSON, during hundreds of years the Shroud was doubled in four and the only part exposed to light during viewings was the round opening showing the face. Natural aging will turn a new and white linen over time into a yellowish color and the fact that most of the Shroud was hidden and only the round opening showing the face was exposed to different light conditions means, that the linen in this area aged more than the rest of the Shroud and this shows up specially in the Ultra Violet photographs of Vernon Miller taken in 1978 during the STURP investigations. It is of interest for future investigations to check fibers of the HALO area and fibers of the non-HALO area to see if there is any difference in the chemistry of these fibers due to different aging processes.

STUDY OF SHROUD FEATURE EVIDENCE USING VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ANALYSIS METHODS a.k.a “ THE HALO STUDY “
By Peter Schumacher and Petrus Soons

In December of 2013, Dr. Petrus Soons and Pete Schumacher began a study of the Shroud of Turin with a particular focus on the area around the face of the “Man of the Shroud”. It had been observed by Dr. Soons that there appeared a difference in shading surrounding the face that was perhaps coincident with the Mandylion representations in artworks and that further study might provide a more conclusive determination as to actual Shroud image properties and such content in artwork representations of the Shroud.
The study was undertaken at the Shroud Exhibit and Museum located in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The Museum and exhibit are presently in storage pending completion of relocation to a much larger facility in the shopping and entertainment area of historic downtown Alamogordo. (In 2014 it has been reopened in downtown Alamogordo).
The primary image used was the 1978 full-size color image on Kodak Duratrans film purchased from Barrie Schwortz in 2009. It is illuminated by proper color temperature diffuse lighting. The display fixture was custom designed for the specific purpose of image analysis.
A VP-8 Image Analyzer system was used in one element of the study. This is the same equipment used by Captains Jackson and Jumper in 1976 to make a model of the Man of the Shroud. However, this type of equipment is relatively inaccessible to other investigators. Furthermore, this is an analog system and tolerance variables are difficult to duplicate. Higher accuracy is now available through digital images and processes, though this does not negate the value and importance of proper analog analysis.
Schumacher used multiple digital and analog analysis methods to compare study results. He wanted to insure, that it would be possible for others to duplicate the work, assuming they are experienced in the practices necessary to digitize images properly from photographs and to perform subsequent digital analysis. The digital capture process is critical and essential to the quality of the studies
Dr. Soons provided some of the images used in the study. Others were provided by the Shroud Exhibit and Museum archives. The ambient room light was eliminated, and reflections prevented by controlling the camera-to-image path, in the case of backlit transparency images, and the light source-to-print-to-camera path in the case of photographic prints. Images by Giuseppe Enrie, Barrie Schwortz, Vernon Miller and Rogers were among the images studied. Not all are included here for the purpose of brevity.

For the rest of the study look at the complete following articles and also at the POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS of Pete Schumacher and Dr. Petrus Soons that explain very well the studies that were done.

The CONCLUSION of this study was:

“Using several Shroud images of different types and dates, various image analysis and measurement techniques and employing graphic overlays, to compare extracted features to various artworks and icons, it is the conclusion of Peter Schumacher that the statements made by Dr. Petrus Soons are demonstrated to be accurate beyond reasonable doubt.
Thus, the Mandylion of Edessa and the Shroud of Turin are one and the same. Therefore, the Shroud of Turin existed at a time in accord with the known history of the Mandylion “. I defer to the considered works of Ian Wilson and other accomplished historians as to the impact of the results of this study, as I am not a historian.
While is is true that not everyone has a VP-8 Image Analyzer system available to them, and, while they may not have all the images available to them that we used in this study, I am convinced that this evidence is conclusive and can be readily duplicated by anyone reasonably capable in the disciplines applied while using a variety of easily accessible tools and even some readily accessible images.
@ 2014 Schumacher-Soons All Rights Reserved

THE CONCLUSION OF ALL THE INVESTIGATIONS IS:
The HALO that has been discovered in a variety of photographs and that fits the size of the round opening in the TETRADIPLON, showing only the head of the Man on the Shroud, is a very strong indication that IAN WILSON’s theory that the Shroud of Turin and the Cloth of Edessa (Tetradiplon, Mandylion) are identical is true. Because there is no anatomical detail visible of the surface of the body in the region of the upper thorax of the image of the Man on the Shroud, the head looks like disembodied and floating. That was probably the reason that for many centuries people did not know and realize that this cloth contained the image of the whole front and back of the body, apart from the fact that the TETRADIPLON was mounted, framed and covered with a precious cloth, leaving the round opening showing the face only. This object was considered so sacred that very few people were permitted to even touch or see it. This discovery means also that we can date the Shroud of Turin to at least the year 525 A.D. when the Cloth of Edessa was rediscovered in the niche above the city gate.This would also prove that the sample that was taken from the Shroud for the Radiocarbon Dating of 1988 was not representative for the whole Shroud.
TWO OTHER DETAILS VISIBLE IN AND AROUND THE HALO THAT WE WILL FIND BACK IN BYZANTINE ART
When you take a good size photograph of the whole Shroud and double it in four you will find on one side the image of the face only. Reconstructing what the Byzantine artist did in the past when framing the image and finding the center of the circle around the head, you will first make a vertical line in the middle of the cloth and then make a horizontal line crossing both eyes. (artistically spoken the center of the face is between both eyes). Where the vertical and horizontal line cross you will find the center that you need to construct the circle to create the round opening in the covering precious cloth to make the face visible. Now we have the round opening in the middle of the cloth. If you do that you will find that the center of the circle will end up IN THE CORNER OF THE RIGHT EYE. The reason for this is that the image of the Man on the Shroud is not exactly in the middle of the cloth but displaced about 2-3 cm to the left side of the median line.
The measurements of the Mandylion are 113 cm x 55.2 cm, when the cloth is “doubled in four”. A second observation is that the border of the covering on the top of our HALO is smaller than the border on the bottom of the Halo. The diameter of the HALO was measured by me to be about 48 cm.

Photo 12. Tetradiplon, doubled in 4

In our HALO POWER POINT presentation (Click to see the Presentation) we show a series of images of the Mandylion (Cloth of Edessa) where indeed the upper border is shown to be smaller than the bottom one, so the artists copied these details truthfully.

Photo 9a. Depictions cloth od Edessa

After that we show a series of images of icons and mosaics of the Byzantine Empire of the face and image of Jesus Christ with a HALO and measuring the center of the HALO you will observe that this is exactly in the corner of the right eye, the same as we have shown with the reconstruction of the HALO in the Tetradiplon and explaining the reason why. The Byzantine artists copied all these details very accurately in their icons and mosaics and these images where considered by them to be very sacred explaining also, the constant copying of these details without changing them.
(The definition of an Icon is: —-an artistic representation of a sacred person, which Icon itself may be venerated as sacred).

TWO MORE DETAILS IN THE IMAGE OF THE MAN ON THE SHROUD THAT SUPPORT IAN WILSON’S THEORY

THE FIRST DETAIL:
In the beginning of the 20th century, the French scholar PAUL VIGNON identified a series of markings on the face and the head of the image of the Man on the Shroud, frequently recurring in Byzantine portraits of Jesus, seemingly deriving from features visible on the Shroud. He identified 15 of these markings and did quite some research of Byzantine artworks to identify these. In the eighties Alan WHANGER (USA) continued with his work, and also investigated images of Jesus Christ on Byzantine coins and he found the same occurrence of these markings. In some instances, the marks in the artworks appear in mirror image.

Photo 20. Vignon markings (see 6)

What is of interest here is the number fifteen of the markings that VIGNON mentions. This is described by him as: ———Transverse line across the throat—–. Now this is exactly the area where I concentrated my research, because according to my investigations in the 3D field there was an oval solid object present there with on the surface in relief three Hebrew letters. I first did a study on many photographs from different photographers who took photographs the last hundred years of the Shroud and there was always the outline of the object. Next, I studied all the previous 3D studies done by John JACKSON and Eric JUMPER in 1977, and also the 3D studies that were done in Italy in the seventies by Prof. TAMBURELLI and Nello BALLOSINO. In all the 3D images under the beard there was a clearly visible vertical relief suggesting that indeed there was the presence of some solid object. Last, but not least, Pete SCHUMACHER did an investigation for me in 2010 of this area with his VP-8 Image Analyzer, an investigation that we repeated together in 2011,to prove the presence of the solid oval object under the beard. The VP-8 Image Analyzer was used in 1976 by JACKSON and JUMPER to finally prove with success the existence of the 3D information in the Shroud Image. This instrument translates differences in density of an image in vertical relief. Only the image of the Man of the Shroud gives an anatomically correct 3D image. Any other photograph of a person gives a lot of fattening and distortion because this instrument was not made for that purpose. Another unique quality of the Shroud Image!!
The conclusion of Pete Schumacher was:
“Using minimal classification Image Processing Techniques involving isometric projection and level slicing functions of the VP-8 Image Analyzer we were able to assess the region of interest (ROI) defined by Dr. Soons. It is apparent that some object, having some pattern detail within that object, resides within the defined ROI. Pete SCHUMACHER was able to confirm the presence of the image outline of an object within the ROI.”
This oval solid object was placed under the beard of the Man on the Shroud and because of the anatomy in that region with the two collar bones higher than the throat area in a person in a horizontal position, the object was in an oblique position.

Photo 22. Vernon Miller positive/negative image

Photo 23. Outline solid oval object

Scientist believe that the image was formed collimated, meaning vertical up- and downwards, so that the front and under side being higher and nearer to the cloth, would be projected with a double line because of the thickness of the oval object and the upper side like a vaguer visible line because of a further distance to the surface of the Shroud, and that is exactly what we observe in the image under the beard in the photographs.

In the HALO POWERPOINT PRESENTATION we show a series of coins of the period of the reign of Justinianus II (692-695 D.C.) and also several coins from the reign of Emperor Michael III (842-867 D.C.) were this double line is perfectly visible and interpreted by the artist as the upper edge (hem) of a tunica. It is worth mentioning that these gold coins are the size of a quarter, so the artist put in very tiny details that obviously were taken from studying the Shroud Image very detailed.

Photo 27. Solidus coin and text John Jackson

Photo 28. Pantocrater Icon

Photo 29. Solidus coin Justinianus

Photo 30. Solidus coin Bizantine

Photo 31. Solidus coin Bizantine

 

THE SECOND DETAIL VISIBLE OF WHAT VIGNON CALLS “THE TRANSVERSE LINE ACROSS THE THROAT” ALSO ASKS FOR OUR ATTENTION.

In the positive image of the Shroud the left corner on the end of the horizontal transverse double line curves in an upward direction and was seemingly interpreted by the artists who had access to the image, as a fold in the upper edge (hem) of a tunica. The same seemingly happened with the double line that was interpreted by the artists as the upper edge of a tunica. It is worth mentioning again that the head on the Mandylion looks disembodied and floating because there is no image visible of the upper thorax. There are many examples in Byzantine art where this “fold” is being represented in exactly the same location where in the positive image of the Shroud the upward curving left corner is located. All these little details make the case of Ian WILSON very strong indeed!

Photo 24. Icon Jesus Christ

Photo 25. Icon Jesus Christ

Photo 32. Icon Jesus Christ

Photo 33. Icon Jesus Christ

Photo 34. Icon Jesus Christ

CONCLUSION OF MY INVESTIGATIONS:

IAN WILSON’S THEORY THAT THE CLOTH OF EDESSA AND THE SHROUD OF TURIN ARE ONE AND THE SAME IS BEING REINFORCED BY THESE NEW DISCOVERIES:
1) The HALO found in various photographs representing the area of the round opening in the TETRADIPLON and showing the head of the Image of the Man on the Shroud, proven by the studies that were being done in 2013 by Schumacher and Soons.
2) The center of the circle of the round opening in the TETRADIPLON. The center is located in the corner of the right eye (positive image). This is also seen in the images of the Mandylion and the face of Jesus Christ with HALO in Byzantine art. Also proven by the studies of Schumacher and Soons.
3) The transversal double line under the beard of the image with the upwards going left edge, interpreted by the Byzantine artist as the upper edge of a tunica with an upward going fold on the left side and also encountered in Byzantine coins, icons, mosaics and other images of the face of Jesus Christ.
All these new discoveries prove that Ian WILSON is right with his theory that the Cloth of Edessa and the Shroud of Turin are the same. This dates the Shroud of Turin back to at least the year 525 A.D.
This also proves that the sample that was used for the Radiocarbon Dating of 1988 was not representative for the whole Shroud of Turin.

Click to see HALO POWERPOINT PETRUS

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STUDY of SHROUD FEATURE EVIDENCE USING VIDEO and PHOTOGRAMMETRIC
ANALYSIS METHODS
a.k.a. “THE HALO STUDY”
By Peter Schumacher and Petrus Soons

Photo F. Pete Schumacher and Dr. P. Soons during HALO research

 

In December of 2013, Dr. Petrus Soons and I began a study of the Shroud of Turin with a particular focus on the area around the face of the “Man of the Shroud”. It had been observed by Dr. Soons that there appeared to be a difference in shading surrounding the face that was perhaps coincident with the Mandylion representations in artworks and that further study might provide a more conclusive determination as to actual Shroud image properties and such content in artwork representations of the Shroud.

The study was undertaken at the Shroud Exhibit and Museum located in Alamogordo New Mexico that has been reopened in another location in the old town of Alamogordo by the end of November 2014.

Photo A1. Fascimil Shroud, Barrie Schwartz

The primary image used was the 1978 full-size color image on Kodak Duratrans film purchased from Barrie Schwortz in 2009. It is illuminated by proper color temperature diffuse lighting. The display fixture was custom designed for the specific purpose of image analysis.

Photo E. VP8 Image Analyzer

A VP8 Image Analyzer system was used in one element of the study. This is the same equipment used by Captains Jackson and Jumper in 1976 to make a model of the Man of the Shroud. However, this type of equipment is relatively inaccessible to other investigators. Furthermore, this is an analog system and tolerance variables are difficult to duplicate. Higher accuracy is now available through digital images and processes, though this does not negate the value and importance of proper analog analysis.

Photo A2. Schumacher with VP8 Image Analyzer

I used multiple digital and analog analysis methods to compare study results. I wanted to insure, that it would be possible for others to duplicate the work, assuming they are experienced in the practices necessary to digitize images properly from photographs and to perform subsequent digital analysis. The digital capture process is critical and essential to the quality of the studies.
Dr. Soons provided some of the images used in the study. Others were provided by the Shroud Exhibit and Museum archives. The ambient room light was eliminated, and reflections prevented by controlling the camera-to-image path, in the case of backlit transparency images, and the light-source-to-print-to-camera path in the case of photo- graphic prints. Images by Enrie, Schwortz, Miller, and Rogers were among the images studied. Not all are included here for the purpose of brevity.

Photo A. Schumacher during research

Photo B. Preparing research set-up

Photo C. Preparing research set-up

Photo D. Preparing research set-up

The Schwortz flash photograph of the Barrie Schwortz image shows the “region of interest” (ROI) for the primary shading and features study. Note the reflection of the flash in the image. Obviously, this would not be a good photograph to use for the study. It is simply used to record the ROI selected for the study. Room lights were turned off and opaque flat black panels and black foam rubber was used to block any light other than the transmitted light coming through the diffuser and the transparency.
The video camera automatic gain and black level functions were turned off and the linearity was set to gamma 1.0 in order to produce a linear image density (brightness) response from the camera. The resulting image was processed through the VP8 Image Analyzer. (The following images 10, 12, 13, and 18 refer to POWERPOINT PETE THAT COMES ON THE END OF THIS ARTICLE) Image 10 is a photograph of the orientation of the ROI as it appears on the color video monitor. The banding and discoloration results because the photographic camera shutter exposure is not synchronized to the video scanning of the monitor. It used only to record the current step in the process. The same is true of the isometric negative plot displayed on the X-Y-Z display (bright is down and dark is up).It is important to note the shading appears similar to a “dish” or “basin” surrounding the face.

Photo Q

Photo R

Photo S. Monitor with outline Halo

 

Photo N. Monitor image Halo

Photo H. Monitor with image Halo

Image 12 shows the profile of the VP8 vertical cursor, a line selected from the image going from top-to-bottom across the TV screen where it crosses the top of the head. In this positive line plot, it clearly shows a parabolic response with the darker segment (downward) in the middle, being the image densities at the top of the head, and the brighter (upward) densities being on either side of the Shroud head image segment.
Image 13 shows a density slice of another image with the ROI orientation with the top of the head toward the top of the video screen. Density slicing is a means to group a brightness range and assign a color to it. The “VP8” is so named because eight different range groups can be selected and assigned one-to-each of eight different colors. Those can then be displayed or set-to-black using the level slicing controls. In this case, the photograph of the monitor records a unique shading group that surrounds the facial area of the Shroud image. This repeatedly occurred in tests using various photographic and spectral images and dating from Enrie’s photographs of the 1930’ to STURP images from 1978. This shading is proven to be consistent and contiguous over a significant range of brightness and physical surface area surrounding the head of the image on the Shroud of Turin.
This image feature, extracted by image analysis, was then compared to Dr. Soons’ visual observations to determine of what he had mapped with a paper circular cutout was coincident with the density analysis using the VP8 Image Analyzer.
I generated a graphic circle and crosshairs and placed dots over the eyes and at the tip of the nose. These were grouped as single object which could then be overlaid onto other images and scaled to common size for comparisons, and even mirrored,
(flipped left-to-right) for use with photonegatives. As seen in image 18, the match is nearly perfect. Any errors in placement can be accounted for by the lack of contrast in the paper-circle image and non-parallel image surface to camera sensor (film) surface when the circular paper cutout image was made. Other examples are shown based on some of the other origin images tested. All produced significant demonstration of the ratio of shading above the face to the area of shading below the face and to the center positioning of the circular shaded area related to the position of the facial image within that circle.
Similar results were produced using “GIMP 2”, an open source analysis application. Those tests led to other analysis, using a digital image by Barrie Schwortz, in addition to the photographic prints and transparencies tested.
I employed the Gaussian edge detection process in GIMP 2 to extract the edge features (transitions of brightness levels) within the ROI. I was amazed to find the outlined edge features below the face extracted from the surrounding image and features were consistent with the primary and other observations declared by Dr. Soons.
Final graphic overlay tests: I ran comparisons using two additional target markers. I found the features to be consistent with the analog and digital density slicing studies and all the observations of Dr. Soons concerning the circular “HALO” area relative to the face; the “double edge” line; and the “object below the face”. The graphic target was then used to compare Shroud features within artworks (Icons) as declared in the works of Dr. Soons. These were demonstrably accurate and identical by relative size, angles, and positions, and exactly as predicted and described by Dr. Soons.
Using a TV Waveform Monitor, an instrument common and universal to video signal standards testing, I ran a series of tests to plot the brightness (density) of images one-line-at-a-time. This resulted in line-by-line extraction of brightness variables, similar to the output of the VP8 Image Analyzer. It is also similar, to the output of a scanning photo-densitometer.
The results were recorded in bit-map file format (.bmp). This clearly demonstrated the parabolic shape of the area surrounding the head of the Man of the Shroud. It will also make it possible to make a physical model of the brightness variations in a manner similar, though perhaps not equal, to the model made by Jackson and Jumper. While that is yet to be determined in further work pending the reopening of the Shroud Exhibit and Museum, it is certain that a video waveform monitor can be used with proper camera and image acquisition management to duplicate this particular feature of the VP8 Image Analyzer. The display is not an “isometric display” and it does not produce a real-time interactive “3D” display of image brightness as does the VP8. However, it is common to the art of video and universal to applied signal standards.

Photo G. Image head VP8

Photo M. VP8 Image Halo

Photo O. VP8 Image Halo

Photo I. VP8 Image Head

Photo K. VP8 Image Halo

Photo L. Relief HALO

Photo J. Altitude graphic HALO

Photo P. Relief HALO   

Photographs L, J, P  are circular shading study

CONCLUSION:

“Using several Shroud images of different types and dates; various image analysis and measurement techniques; and, employing graphic overlays to compare extracted features to various artworks and Icons, it is my conclusion that the statements made by Dr. Soons are demonstrated to be accurate beyond reasonable doubt.
Thus, the Mandylion and the Shroud of Turin are one and the same. Therefore, the Shroud of Turin existed at a time in accord with the known history of the Mandylion.
I defer to the considered works of Ian Wilson and other accomplished historians as to the impact of the results of this study, as I am not a historian.
While it is true that not everyone has a VP8 Image Analyzer system available to them
and, while they may not have all the images available to them that I used in this study, I am convinced that this evidence is conclusive and can be readily duplicated by anyone reasonably capable in the disciplines applied while using a variety of easily accessible tools and even some readily accessible images.

@ 2014 Schumacher Soons All Rights Reserved

You can see the work done by Dr. Soons, that led to this research of Pete Schumacher, in his POWERPOINT presentation in chapter 6.5.2 following this article. The text in 6.5.1 is the text that comes with this presentation.

Click to see HALO PETE PDF

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Click to see HALO PETE Powerpoint CIRCULAR SHADING STUDY

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DR. PETER SOONS PRESENTATION OF HALO IN ALAMOGORDO

 

THE SOLID OVAL OBJECT UNDER THE BEARD IN
THE NECK AREA UNDER THE BEARD

 

In September of 2005 we produced the first Hologram of the face and during the studies of this hologram in March of 2006, it occurred to me that under the beard in the neck area, there was a 3D relief that was oval-shaped of about 10 x 4.5 cm (4” x 2”). It looked like a flat oval solid object with a relief on the flat side visible to the viewer. (See figure 1).

Figure 1. Hologram showing solid object under beard

As I knew the story of Father Filas, who researched the images of the coins on top of the eyelids, and all the problems that were created by his opponents when he did this research, I decided to be very careful and go step by step to solve this. I set up a research protocol in which I first gathered all the photographs I could find from the 3D investigations that had been done in the past, reasoning that they should ALL show a vertical relief in the neck-area. Secondly, I gathered as many photographs of the face, including the neck area, that I could find, because the shape of this solid object should also be visible on ALL the photographs. High on my list was also an investigation with the VP-8 Image Analyzer, so we could prove scientifically that the solid object was there indeed.

Let us go step by step:

1) In 1976 Captains John P. Jackson (physicist) and Eric Jumper of the United States Air Force Academy. revealed with the VP-8 Image Analyzer, that a photograph of the Shroud image (face and body) was spatially encoded, i.e., it possessed depth-information, which means an exact mathematical relationship between the cloth-to-body distance. Lots of images exist of these investigations (For example the figures 2 and 3).

Figure 2

Figure 3

VP8 Image Analyzer with vertical relief under beard

Also in the seventies, Prof. Giovanni Tamburelli of the University of Turin did quite some computer-3D research on the Shroud image and we also received images of these investigations (See figure 4).

Figure 4. Prof. G. Tamburelli 3D with vertical relief under beard

We also looked at the work of Aldo Guerreschi and Alan Whanger, who created pseudo-3D images with an overlay-technique. (figure 5).

Figure 5. Guerreschi pseudo-relief with vertical relief under beard

Other images we used were, the bronze bas-relief that is exhibited in the Museo della Sindone in Turin, to facilitate blind people to get an idea of what the Shroud-image is like (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Museo della Sindone vertical relief under beard in bronce bas-relief

I asked Bernardo Galmarini in Argentina to do a special 2D to 3D conversion of the neck area and that result we can see in figure 7. To see the 3D in this anaglyph photograph you will have to use 3D glasses (red in front of the left eye).

Figure 7. Galmarini outline solid object under beard

The result of all these investigations was, that INDEED ON ALL THESE IMAGES A VERTICAL RELIEF WAS VISIBLE, UNDER THE BEARD IN THE NECK AREA.
This proved that on the body there was placed in the neck region a solid oval object (that also shows a relief on the front side).
2) The next step was the photographs. We used photographs of the 1978 STURP investigations, made by the Chief Technical Photographer Vernon Miller (See figure 8) and the Technical Photographer Barrie Schwortz ( ©1978-2010 Barrie M. Schwortz Collection, STERA Inc), (See figures 9 and 10).

Figure 8. Photo Vernon Miller solid object

Figure 9

Figure 10

In the building that houses the Museo della Sindone in Turin is a room where there is a collection of photographs representing the whole official history of the photography of the Shroud (in TURIN), and Bruno Barberis and Nello Balossino gave me permission to make photographs there. (See figures 11, 12 and 13). On purpose I chose color photographs that do not have much contrast (grayscale) and even there you can see vaguely the shape of the solid object.

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Color photographs Museo della Sindone vague outline solid object

The series of photographs 14 till 17 show the details of the neck area in the different photographs, with the shape visible and having a double line on the bottom.

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Details in neck area with outline of solid object visible

Photograph K shows a photograph in color made by Mario Azevedo showing again the object and photograph J was taken in Jerusalem in a Jewish establishment and shows at the bottom an example of the solid oval object with on the surface in relief three Hebrew letters (see next chapter, THE LETTERS). In Jewish tradition these objects with this shape, were, and are known and used.

Photograph K. Mario Azevedo outline solid object 

 

Photograph J. Solid Oval object (Jerusalem) with on surface in relief three Hebrew letters (bottom)

 

Photograph 18 finally shows on a sculpture how we think that the solid object was placed in the neck area (in the tomb). ALL THE RESEARCHED PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THE OUTLINE OF AN OVAL OBJECT UNDER THE BEARD IN THE NECK AREA.

Figure 18. Sculpture with probable placement of solid oval object

3) In June of 2010, PETE SCHUMACHER fulfilled a promise he had made to me, during a visit in Alamogordo in New Mexico, where Pete runs a Shroud Center. I gave two presentations in the Center for a group of very enthusiastic Pete-volunteers in English and also for a Spanish speaking audience about the “Holographic Experience of the Shroud”, and Pete promised me to do an investigation of the neck area with the functioning VP-8 Image Analyzer that he has in the Center, combined with a beautiful life-size facsimil of the Shroud in color (made by Barrie Schwortz) to show people the principles and workings of the VP-8 Analyzer.

RESUME : When in June 2010 PETE SCHUMACHER did the research in the neck area of the Shroud image, he PROVED SCIENTIFICALLY, that in this area there is indeed the shape (which means the presence) of “THE SOLID OVAL OBJECT” and the corresponding 3D relief on the surface.
He wrote an article about his research (6.3.2) and you can read that in the following chapter under the title:
REGION OF INTEREST STUDY USING THE VP-8 IMAGE ANALYZER:
ISOMETRIC PROJECTION (3D) AND LEVEL SLICING FUNCTIONS
FOR DR. PETRUS SOONS
BY DEACON Pete Schumacher
2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, SCHUMACHER AND SOONS

HE WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THE PRESENCE OF THE IMAGE OUTLINE OF AN OBJECT WITHIN THE REGION OF INTEREST.

REGION OF INTEREST STUDY USING THE VP8 IMAGE ANALYZER:
ISOMETRIC PROJECTION (3D) AND LEVEL SLICING FUNCTIONS
FOR DR. PETRUS SOONS
BY DEACON Pete Schumacher
@ 2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, SCHUMACHER AND SOONS

The VP8 Image Analyzer performs two major, separate functions. One function is to make XYZ plots of image brightness on an oscilloscope-like monitor. The other function is to present false-color representations of selected brightness ranges (spans of brightness) on a color video monitor.

The XYZ plot of image brightness, referred to as an “Isometric Display” shows a relief map of image brightness variations. Normally, brightness has nothing to do with height or depth. The VP8 plots are simply graphic representations of changes in image brightness over an entire image. The image is viewed through a video camera. The camera is connected to the input of the VP8. The VP8 is an analog computer. The processor creates the display in real time. The process is “hard wired” so the VP8 can only “perform” the process. It cannot alter the image, edit portions of the image, or “recall, store, or remember” the image, and it cannot store the display or the results of the VP8 process.

It is important to note that the VP8 display of 3D in reference to the Shroud of Turin image is not “perfect” in that there are distortions caused by the weave of the cloth, by water stains and other stains on the Shroud, and by some of the other unique characteristics of the Shroud image, including its X-ray like properties.
The Level Slice process is used to create color-assigned references to selectable ranges in brightness within an image. There are eight adjustable brightness level range settings. A color is assigned to each range, or “band of brightness”. While viewing the image being processed, each color band is adjusted to highlight areas of the image, or objects within the image which have a common brightness. This is a very simple, basic means for classification of objects within images. Accuracy of object classification relies heavily on the image quality and type, and the characteristic brightness and contrast of objects imaged. For example: A range of brightness can be selected to include objects brighter than 250 but darker than 391, on a scale of 000 to 1500, wherein 000 is the darkest possible brightness (black) within the image and 1500 is the brightest possible brightness (white) within the image.

All objects or image areas falling in the range of 250 to 391 could be selected for display in the color green. All other display of brightness bands could either be turned “off” completely (black or grey or white, but not of any color), or “on” at some intensity of display color, for the color assigned to each other band. Thus, a range in brightness of 250 to 391 within an image of a farming area might represent the wheat crops, as opposed to other crops within the area imaged. When considering the Shroud of Turin image, the level slices might represent different features on the Shroud, such as blood stains, burn marks, scourge marks, or such features as may exist on the Shroud.

Of particular interest to Dr. Soons, is the area just below the chin area in the frontal image. Using brightness mapping, it is apparent that there is some basic shift in brightness across the image in this area of the Shroud. Further analysis suggests there might be some type of object at that location on the Shroud. Level slicing suggests there is an object at this location on the Shroud image too. With the Level Slice function the detail of this area can be examined more closely in terms of “inclusion” or “exclusion” from the various brightness groupings and colors assigned to them.
This basic classification of the image in this area of the Shroud produces results suggesting there is some object, or objects, at the location of interest (region of interest, ROI) defined by Dr. Soons. Level Slice studies further suggest the probability of some detailed patterns within the object within the ROI. Further analysis of the spectral characteristics over the ROI could yield further classification and grouping of patterns for “inclusion” or “exclusion” from these basic classifications, and should be performed before making conclusions concerning any potential objects or pattern details within the ROI. The VP8 is not capable of performing color-based-analysis of an image, short of using monochrome spectral filters in conjunction with the camera to isolate different color spectra.
While some tests were performed using broadband primary color filters, no significant variation in Level Slicing was noticed. Tests should be performed using very narrow band spectral filters, or other means of isolating spectral values within the ROI in order to sharpen the classification of the analysis.

CONCLUSIONS:
Using minimal classification image processing techniques involving isometric projection and Level Slicing functions of the VP8 Image Analyzer we were able to assess the region of interest ROI defined by Dr. Soons. It is apparent that some object, having some pattern detail within that object, resides within the defined ROI.
See the photos D, E, F and G: these are 4 photos from a complete series with results from the Level Slicing function, showing clearly the outline of a solid object under the beard in the neck area.

Photo D

Photo E

Photo F

Photo G

4 photos from a series with results from Level Slicing function, and that clearly show the outline of some solid object with relief on the surface

 

Tests were performed over a period of seven days, using a backlit, full-size color transparency (Barrie Schwortz @ 1978). Tests were performed at the Shroud Exhibit And Museum, Inc, facilities in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Ambient lighting was tightly controlled, and uniform illumination of the scene was verified prior to the analysis and following the analysis. A Cohu Electronics Division camera model 4910 series CCD monochrome instrumentation camera setup for photometric analysis was used. The camera field flatness and uniform response to brightness were verified before and after the study. The VP8 Image Analyzer was used to perform these camera property verifications.
Photo 2: shows the fascimil of the Shroud (Barrie Schwortz) used for the research
Photo 10: Pete Schumacher working with VP8 Image Analyzer
Photo 11: Set-up for the research with controlled lighting
Photo 12: Schumacher in front of fascimil with research set-up

Photo 2

Photo 10

Photo 11

Photo 12

Schumacher could not define or recognize the object located within the ROI and he could not identify the object or any of the patterning within the object either as viewed directly or as enhanced through the processes of the VP8 Image Analyzer employed.
He was, however, able to confirm the presence of the image outline of an object within the ROI.

Following are two DVD’s with the results of the research:

1) 6.3.3. called; PETE SEAM VP8 Color Slice for Petrus
ROI SOLID OBJECT
Shows image in the VP8 Image Analyzer with under the beard a well visible outline of the Solid Object.

6.3.3 PETE SEAM VP8 Color Slice for Petrus ROI SOLID OBJECT

2) 6.3.4. called: PETE DVD VP8 SEAM 3D SOLID OBJECT rotation June 2010 VP8
This DVD shows the Level Slicing functions of the research. The face is on the left side in a horizontal position and the solid object in the middle of the screen, clearly visible.

6.3.4 PETE DVD VP8 SEAM 3D SOLID OBJECT rotation june 2010 VP 8

 

 

Since 2009, Pete Schumacher and Dr. Petrus Soons did research with the VP-8 Image Analyzer, so it is important to understand how this Analyzer functions, what it was made for and what can you do with it. Following is an explanation written by Pete Schumacher, who was the Product Engineer of the VP-8, designing the circuit boards.

                                                    Photo 1. VP-8 Image Head                                                      

The “VP-8” does in fact have the capacity to divide all, or any portion of the brightness dynamic range of an input image into eight individually variable “slices” of brightness range. So, if we had an image with a possible dynamic range of say 600 individual levels of brightness, we could set slice 1 to cover a range from say zero to 300 and assign that range of values the color red. Then we could set the next “slice” to cover the range from say 300 to 307, giving it the color orange, and so on. When we get to level eight “slice”, we could assign it to be any value of brightness above the highest value set in “slice” 7. We could assign that value the color violet, for example. Each slide range has a particular color assigned to it in the wiring of the unit. Each slice range is also able to be displayed as a shade of gray on a monochrome (black and white) monitor. The brightness of the color and the shade of gray assigned for display of a selected input image brightness range is variable, so that the distinction of each assigned “slice range” can be emphasized, or even turned to zero (black) intensity. This allows each slice range to be displayed together with other slice ranges to enhance combining of slice ranges, or to enhance separation of brightness slice ranges. The brightness range slices can be overlaid onto the RGB (color monitor) video image of the input picture and they can be overlaid in gray shades atop the input picture on a monochrome monitor. The best image to use for mapping brightness variations of an image is one which has captured the full dynamic brightness variations of the object being imaged. In this case, the dynamic range of brightness of for example Barrie’s fascimil image of the Shroud is best. None of the “brights” in the image are “saturated” and neither are any of the dimmest portions “saturated-black”. The real Shroud image is very faint (lacking in contrast) The dynamic curve of the process used in his image can be reconstructed with the appropriate gamma setting (exponent of internal amplification) of the video camera to produce a linear, non-saturated (non-clipped) dynamic brightness reproduction of the original—–which is the Shroud image.. With many other Shroud images, contrast was not (to my knowledge) preserved as a faithful reproduction of the actual Shroud image brightness dynamic. Most (if not all) were contrast pushed to enhance viewing of the image with the naked eye, or perhaps to improve image processing capture, some even employing auto-shutter, automatic ranging (auto-black level and auto-gain), or histogram stretching for all-bit digitization.

Photo 2. VP-8 Analyser

Most other images used films and process that failed to preserve the brightness dynamic of the original image. If, therefore, you map the brightness of an image, which has inadvertently, or purposefully been modified from the original brightness dynamic of the Shroud, in such a way that the original dynamic cannot be recovered, then the brightness map (isometric display of image brightness) will be distorted. Also note, a monochrome or color photographic image produces brightness variations in the monochrome video camera being used to input the photograph into the VP-8 system (as does a scanner, digitizer etc.). The input camera device must also be of a type, and calibration, to produce a faithful (hi-fidelity) reproduction of the photograph’s brightness data into the VP-8. Then the VP-8 must be properly calibrated to produce an accurate isometric projection onto a properly calibrated XYZ (vector, or Cathode Ray Tube -CRT) display monitor. Non of this is trivial. It is all critical to the process of making an accurate brightness map of any image.
There are many factors involved in the analysis of an image. From the lighting in the area and the illumination of the object, to the internal settings of the processing and display equipment. It is important for anyone studying the Shroud to consider all the factors before making an assessment, and even then it is doubtful that an absolute conclusion can be determined without additional interpretation and expert analysis—–including spectral isolation of image components, comparison with other images and analyzers, and “ground truth” physical examination of the origin object itself.

Photos 3 and 4 show the head and the body of the Shroud image as result of the imaging in the VP-8 Image Analyzer.

Face Christ in VP-8

Face and Body in VP-8

The DVD seam 3D rotation is a movie (DEMO) that shows the functioning of the VP-8. The movie starts after 1 minute and 14 seconds and shows the head, and in the end of the movie the arms and hands.

6.2 VP8 -3 DVD SEAM 3D rotation june 2010 VP 8

The next DVD shows first an image of the head so you can appreciate the 3D. After that you see the photograph of a couple (Pete and his wife Susan) and the FLAT result without 3D, and the noses pushed into the face (in the VP-8).

6.2.2 PETE VP 8 face Christ Face foto pete susan

The next 4 photographs also show this result when you put the photograph of a person in front of the video camera of the VP-8 and the result is very striking compared with the face of Jesus on the Shroud. You can see that the faces of the two persons are flattened and distorted, unlike the image of the face on the Shroud, where you have an anatomical correct 3D.

Photo 5. Photograph person 1

Photo 6. VP-8 Distorted image

Photo 7. Photograph person 2

Photo 8. VP-8 Distorted image

 

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH WITH 3D MATERIALS & METHODS

This chapter and the next 7 chapters are the result of the cooperation of Dr. Petrus Soons and Pete Schumacher doing research on different aspects of the Shroud image with the help of the VP-8 Image Analyzer.

The research covered different aspects:

6.3) Discovery of an OVAL SOLID OBJECT under the beard of the Man on the Shroud.
6.4) The discovery of 3 HEBREW LETTERS on the solid oval object under the beard.
6.5) The discovery of a HALO around the head of the Man on the Shroud.
6.6) Research of the NAIL wounds.
6.7) Signs of the presence of a PHYLACTERIE on the left arm.
6.8) Investigation of the LANCE wound.
6.9) Research of the possible presence of LEPTONS on the eyelids.
6.10)—6.11) Research Avinoam Danin & Dr. P. Soons

In 2009 during the Shroud Conference in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Petrus Soons for the first time gave a presentation to the Scientific Shroud Community of the 3D work that he had done with his team in the Netherlands, that resulted in the 3D Holograms of the Face and the Body of the image of the Man on the Shroud and some new discoveries he had done studying these 3D materials. Pete Schumacher was also present and being very familiar with the 3D properties of the Shroud image, because of his work with the Vp-8 Image Analyzer, was very impressed with the results of this work. Out of this meeting developed a friendship, and also a cooperation that resulted in doing research on certain aspects of the Shroud image. Dr. Soons traveled regularly to Alamogordo, New Mexico, where Pete was living with his wife Susan, and where he also had the Shroud Exhibit and Museum, which was an ideal place to do the research. In this Museum was also exhibited a life-size replica (fascimil) of the Shroud, produced by Barrie Schwortz, and very close to the original of the Shroud and this was used to do part of the research.

We will go chapter by chapter, but first I will show some photographs that will give a very good idea of how the setup for the research was with the Vp-8 Image Analyzer, so maybe it is good to repeat in a short way the functioning of this VP-8.

VP-8 Image Analyzer, Ohio

Fascimil Shroud (Barrie Schwortz)

Dr. Petrus Soons and Deacon Pete Schumacher, Ohio

Schumacher with VP-8 Image Analyzer

Research set-up with fascimil Shroud

Schumacher research set-up

Face in VP-8

Face and upper body in VP-8

The VP-8 is an analog video processing device (developed in 1972 by PETE SCHUMACHER), which processes monochromatic images (2-dimensional images) and converts the various luminance levels of it into a hypothetical height, corresponding to those luminance levels, thus forming a vertical relief. The VP-8 System uses a video camera with a lens to capture a video image of the object, or photograph to be analyzed and then making measurements and special displays to aid in the analysis. The brightness of the XY monitor is also controlled by the VP-8, thus creating an “XYZ-Display” (vertical relief). The VP-8 was used for various applications. The 1977 brochure lists “radar-imagery, X-ray photography and infrared thermography, laser profile analysis, earth resource satellite image analysis “.

The primary interest to the Shroud of Turin research was the isometric projection display which maps brightness variations within video images.

The Vp-8 Image analysis in 1976 in Colorado Springs (Captains Jackson and Jumper) revealed that a photograph of the Shroud image, unlike any photograph, also of a drawing or painting, was “spatially encoded” i.e., it possessed depth information. John Jackson and Eric Jumper noticed an exact mathematical relationship between the body—cloth distance. The image on the Shroud varied inversely with the cloth-to-body distance, meaning that the dark parts in the image on the linen were closest to the body surface and the white parts on the linen furthest away from the body.

Following is an article about the discovery and study of the solid oval object under the beard of the Man on the Shroud (6.3.1)