Poor Clare Repairs and Backing Added

Chambery, Duchy of SavoyHistoryScience

In 1534, the Poor Clare nuns in Chambery carried out repairs to the fire damage from 1532. They sewed a series of triangular patches over the burn holes and attached a full backing cloth to reinforce the Shroud.

Material Intervention

The repairs left clear physical features that are still present:

  • Triangular patches covering the burn holes
  • Backing cloth sewn to the reverse side of the Shroud

These repairs are a significant part of the Shroud’s material history and are referenced in scientific examinations of the Shroud.

Sources & References

  1. Wilson, I. (1978). The Shroud of Turin. Doubleday.
  2. Schwalbe, L. & Rogers, R. (1982). Physics and Chemistry of the Shroud of Turin: A Summary of the 1978 Investigation. Analytica Chimica Acta, 135(1), 3-49.
  3. Heller, J. & Adler, A. (1980). Blood on the Shroud of Turin. Applied Optics, 19(16), 2742-2744.