Flat or not Flat?

When the image was formed on the Shroud, was it flat?

This page will show, through precise measurements, that it was not necessarily flat. Moreover, a simple argument based on the blood stains on the Shroud shows that it cannot have been flat.

This appears counter intuitive, since we would expect some major image distortions. But if we take into account all the details about the image on the Shroud, we can see that no major image distortions occur. Only small image distortions, that can we indeed see on the Shroud.

The following simple experiment can be repeated with very simple means: a small piece of cloth, some strings, a ruler, and a foam mannequin head.

Figure 1 shows the basic setup. Figure 2 shows the cloth over the head. The cloth has not been set tight against the head, but simply laid down gently. Nothing hold the cloth on both side.

We assume that the image was formed on the cloth by projecting vertically the features of the head and face. If some distortions are expected, they would be seen once the cloth is flattened.

It is essential that the cloth meet the following requirement: it cannot be laid neither too tight nor too loose. If it is laid too tight, it will not meet the requirement that distances can be observed on the Shroud. If it is laid too loose, it will not record the proper distances, but more importantly no blood stains would be seen over the hair on the Shroud.

The main measurements that are needed to evaluate the amount of distortions, is the widening and elongation of the image on the cloth once it is flattened. On the Shroud, only part of the face is visible. For example, we do not see the ears, neither the entire cheeks. The first task is to record the image on the cloth.

To delineate the parts of the cloth that would receive some images, it is useful to use a fixed, flat and transparent material over the head. Looking through it, the face can be drawn on it. Then the cloth is put over the head. The drawing can be reported from the transparent material onto the cloth with a pen marker.

The cloth can then be laid flat, and the width and height can be measured. These can be compared with the measurements of the flat and transparent material. Naturally, we can also directly look at the flattened cloth to see if we can observe major distortions.

Table 1 shows the results. Note: the experiment can be simplified if the head foam mannequin is replaced by a transparent head mannequin into which a light is inserted. Assuming that the cloth has some transparency, once it is laid over the head, the face and head contour can be drawn directly on the cloth.