# Are the red-brown stains blood? · Shroud of Turin > Three answers have been proposed. The stains are blood. leads, with evidence 1 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HGY52KJ/are-the-red-brown-stains-blood Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:44+00:00 --- **0** # Are the red-brown stains blood? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [How was the image made?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2H943JFZ/how-was-the-image-made)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: the stains are blood** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. The stains are blood. leads, with evidence 1 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters Two analyses of the same 1978 tape samples disagree⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY28FW5NHE/a-chemical-investigation-of-the-shroud-of-turin)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY28QP77XH/the-shroud-of-turin-blood-or-artists-pigment); blood would bear on the body reading, pigment on the artistic one. ## Answers 3 [**The stains are blood.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/answers/ANS0CWY2QW254HF/the-stains-are-blood) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/answers/ANS0CWY2S345C74/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**The stains are pigment (red ochre and vermilion).** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/answers/ANS0CWY2RKG7PD8/the-stains-are-pigment-red-ochre-and-vermilion) Tested, but the results don't decide it Evidence: 1 for Disputed ## History 1. 1981[Heller & Adler puts forward: the stains are blood.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY28FW5NHE/a-chemical-investigation-of-the-shroud-of-turin) 1. 1981[Heller & Adler: chemical tests identified blood components.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY28FW5NHE/a-chemical-investigation-of-the-shroud-of-turin)For: The stains are blood. 1. 1990[McCrone puts forward: the stains are pigment (red ochre and vermilion).](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY28QP77XH/the-shroud-of-turin-blood-or-artists-pigment) 1. 1990[McCrone: microscopy of the tapes reports iron oxide and vermilion.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY28QP77XH/the-shroud-of-turin-blood-or-artists-pigment)For: The stains are pigment (red ochre and vermilion). 1. 2015[Barcaccia et al.: dNA from dust shows many human lineages, so contamination is pervasive.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY297A6S1B/uncovering-the-sources-of-dna-found-on-the-turin-shroud)Against: The stains are blood. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HGY52KJ/are-the-red-brown-stains-blood%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HGY52KJ/are-the-red-brown-stains-blood%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HGY52KJ/are-the-red-brown-stains-blood%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HGY52KJ/are-the-red-brown-stains-blood%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HGY52KJ/are-the-red-brown-stains-blood%23add-source) Where it fits Shroud of Turin [**How was the image made?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2H943JFZ/how-was-the-image-made)Key question · 4 answers, inconclusive **Are the red-brown stains blood?** You're here · the stains are blood [ Ask a question under this one ]