Inadequacies in Serological ABO Typing of Ancient Artifacts: The Shroud of Turin as a Case Example

Authors: Kearse KP*

DOI: 10.23880/ijfsc-16000326

Volume 8, Issue 3

Abstract

Serological determination of ABO blood type is extremely valuable in evaluation of fresh blood but has major drawbacks in the analysis of aged objects. The Shroud of Turin is a full-size linen cloth bearing the ventral and dorsal images of man containing wounds consistent with scourging and crucifixion. Controversy exists regarding the authenticity and age of the artifact; it has been proposed to be the two-thousand-year-old burial cloth of Jesus, or alternatively, a clever, medieval hoax. During the last public exhibition in 2015, approximately 2 million visitors came to view the cloth for just a few minutes at short distance. It is widely reported that the Shroud bloodstains are blood type AB, based on previous findings that were never published in a peer-reviewed format. Here, the shortfalls of using serological testing for ABO determination of ancient objects are discussed using the Shroud of Turin as a case example. It is determined that the AB designation for the Shroud bloodstains is inconclusive and should be considered as type unknown pending further testing.

Keywords: ABO; Blood Typing; Immunology; Turin Shroud; Serology

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