The Shroud of Turin proves the Resurrection
The coins over the eyes on the Shroud
A number of researchers, including Dr Robert Bucklin and Professor Alan Whanger, have commented on the raised rounded objects placed over the anatomical eyes on the Shroud. It was Jewish custom to place small coins over the eyes of a dead body, to keep the eyelids closed.
Jean-Philippe Fontanille of www.coinsite.com/content/Articles/Pontiuspilate.asp is a specialist in ancient coins, and beautifully describes the coins minted by Pontius Pilate in the years A.D. 29, 30 and 31. These two sets of images to the right and below have been used with the kind permission of Jean-Philippe Fontanille of www.MenorahCoinProject.org
Research by Professor Alan Whanger of Duke University
Professor Alan Whanger is an Emeritus Professor and Specialist Psychiatrist at the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. U.S.A. His excellent work on the coins over the eyes is recorded at www.shroud.com/meacham2.htm. An extract from this outstanding article is as follows:
The image of the coin over the right eye
“The image of the coin over the right eye is the clearer of the two, and the “letter-like shapes” are clearly distinguishable from the vagaries of the weave. They virtually exactly match the lettering on a Pontius Pilate lepton owned by Filas, which has the misspelled inscription UCAI rather than the usual UKAI. Our technique enabled us to study the coin more completely and note 74 points of congruence between the Pilate Lituus lepton and the image over the right eye of the Shroud. We also, for the first time, dated the coin as struck in the 16th year of Tiberius, or A.D. 29. “
The area over the anatomical right eye of the Shroud image
The image to the right is “the area over the anatomical right eye of the Shroud image (a computer enhancement of the Enrie photograph).
This shows the letters UCAI, and the Lituus. The arrow points to the upper third of the critical letter C. The letters are about 1.5 mm high.”
A Pontius Pilate lepton
“A Pontius Pilate lepton (“window’s mite”) owned by Francis Filas, showing the highly specific Lituus, or auger, or astrologer’s staff design, the frequent clipped edge from one to four o’clock, and, despite erosion, parts of the letters TIOUCAI. Again, the arrow points to the letters.”
The overlapped images of the coin over the right eye.
The overlapped images, showing the almost perfect congruence of the two indicating that this coin was struck from the same die as the coin over the Shroud image’s right eye.”
The coin image over the left eye
“The coin image over the left eye is less distinct but still clearly identifiable as the so-called Julia Lepton of Pilate, struck only in the year A.D. 29. There are 73 points of congruence between this coin and the area over the left eye. The probability of placing two different coins minted in the same year on a corpse “several decades” after their issuance is rather remote.”
Our own conclusion from Professor Alan Whanger’s research:
- Professor Alan Whanger’s amazing research seems to indicate that the coins placed over the anatomical eyelids on the Shroud were both minted by Pontius Pilate in the year AD 29.
- Not only were they minted in the year A.D. 29, but they were both placed over the eyelids of the Body of Jesus Christ at the same time.
- The fact that both coins were placed over the eyes at the same time means that, by the laws of probability, the Crucifixion happened within a few short year of 29 A.D, and that the Shroud is also therefore dated within a few short year of 29 A.D.
- Many people, including ourselves, believe that the Crucifixion took place in A.D. 33. Please visit The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ for proof of this.
- It therefore seems very likely that the Shroud dates from the time of Jesus Christ.