The Enigma of the Shroud of Turin

Microscopic "gold dust" deeply embedded in the fibres

Max Frei (above) was an eminent Swiss criminologist and botanist. He acted in important cases in Turin and through this connection he was asked to observe and authenticate some new photographs being taken of the Shroud. He asked if he could apply one of his simple forensic tests. This was simply to apply some sticky tape to the cloth and then see what the microscope might reveal. This request was granted and Max returned to Zurich with the tape for later examination. The picture of him above was taken on a field trip with Ian Wilson and myself once he had completed this examination and needed to find matches for what he had found.
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Max Frei was invited to join the American-led scientific team that was given access to the Shroud in 1978. Disappointingly, on this occasion, pollens were not forthcoming. However, during the sampling, there was disagreement between Frei and Jackson on just how firm the tape should be pressed. As leader, Jackson's insistence that only moderate pressure should be used, prevailed. Frei believed, from his experience, that only the most vigorous of pressures was likely to release any pollen dust that might be there. John Jackson was pictured making his feelings clear in this picture taken by Barrie Schwortz. Prof. Luigi Gonella, who 10 years later would preside over the C14 test, is in the centre attempting to mediate. The absence of pollens from the 1978 testing may well be explained by the enforced lightness of touch.
Once Max had made his initial findings public he was inducted into the team for the making of Silent Witness and it was a pleasure to get to know him well on the various research and filming trips. Max died before he could complete his work and publish. This, combined with the absence of corroborative findings in 1978 has left his work somewhat overlooked. In the clip below he reveals the most significant of his findings.