Product Description

This is the story of the Sudarium of Oviedo, an ancient bloodstained cloth, believed to have covered the head of Jesus of Nazareth after his crucifixion. The author traces the known history of the linen and presents the up-to-date conclusions of EDICES. The investigative team that has been studying the cloth since 1989, discusses the cultural significance of the crucifixion and blood in the context of first-century Jerusalem. They demonstrate the significance of the famous passage of John 20:5-7, as analyzed by some of the most important Biblical scholars of the world. The book contains twenty pages of color photographs, many of which are from EDICES. These photographs explain visually the bloodstains and wrinkles found on the cloth, how the cloth was used, its comparison with the Shroud of Turin and the historical odyssey from Jerusalem to Spain.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #438534 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 223 pages

Customer Reviews

A Thorough Study of a Remarkable Relic
In "Sacred Blood, Sacred Image - The Sudarium of Oviedo" Janice Bennett skillfully analyzes the history, forensics, etymology and religious basis of the Sudarium, a bloodstained cloth kept in Oviedo Spain.

Bennett's traces the history of Sudarium from the earliest mentions of it in early Christian century Palestine, linking it to Christ's burial cloth. She makes a convincing argument that the Sudarium was transferred from the Holy Land to Northern Spain following the Persian and Arab invasions of the 7th and 8th centuries. She then painstakingly analyzes the linen and the blood stains, painting a picture of how this linen cloth once covered the head of an adult man. This is followed by a fascinating comparison between the Sudarium and the Shroud of Turin. In this comparison, she makes a powerful case that they were both placed on the same crucified man.

The book then provides two chapters outlining first century Jewish burial customs and how the Sudarium is mentioned in the New Testament. As well, Bennett has added numerous colour images of the Sudarium, places mentioned in the book and a map of its historical journey, as well as a chronology and glossary.

If you are curious about the Sudarium or the Shroud of Turin and would like to read a very thorough study of the topic, you would definitely enjoy reading this book. Also, if you are interested in being introduced to scientific arguments in favor of Jesus' crucifixion, read this book, it is an excellent starting point.