Gold and Silver Particles on the Turin Shroud, Studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Elemental Analysis

Abstract

We have studied by optical microscopy and by SEM-EDX some metallic particles of gold and silver adhering to a sample of the Turin Shroud. A total number of eighteen particles (and sub-particles) containing these two elements were characterized in details. Three of them (e49, b22 and h28-0) are parts of gold scales, and six (l38-1, 2, 3, 4, 7' and 12) are micro-grains of a gold powder. The three a23-1, 2 and 3 sub-particles are the metallic parts of a spot of painting. The e27 particle (of electrum) is possibly some part of a coin of a Byzantine money; possibly also, the m10 particle could be parts of a billion (a coin of money used during the Roman Antiquity).

Iron-Rich Red Clays on the Turin Shroud: Optical Microscopy Studies and SEM-EDX Analyses

“…We have obtained a small triangular sticky tape that was sample d on its surface (corresponding to the Face of this body) and we concentrated in the past years on the study of microscopic organic structures located on the surface of this sticky tape, including: linen fibers (Lucotte, 2015a), pollens and spores (Lucotte, 2015b), red blood cells (Lucotte, 2015c), skin debris (Lucotte, 2016), an hair fragment (Lucotte & Thomasset, 2017a) and osseous remains (Lucotte & Thomasset, 2017b). More recently, we published gold and silver particles (Lucotte, 2022a), and lapis lazuli particles (Lucotte & Thomasset, 2023), detected on the surface of the triangle.…”