# Is the heterogeneity in the 1988 raw data a sign of a wrong date? · Shroud of Turin > Three answers have been proposed. The heterogeneity reflects ordinary laboratory and pretreatment differences and does not change the medieval… leads… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HRR1NRJ/is-the-heterogeneity-in-the-1988-raw-data-a-sign-of-a-wrong Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:44+00:00 --- **0** # Is the heterogeneity in the 1988 raw data a sign of a wrong date? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [When was the linen of the Shroud made?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2H1A0BGE/when-was-the-linen-of-the-shroud-made)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: the heterogeneity reflects ordinary laboratory and pretreatment differences and does not change the medieval…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. The heterogeneity reflects ordinary laboratory and pretreatment differences and does not change the medieval… leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters The raw measurements released in 2017 show the Shroud subsamples are less consistent than the controls⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY25SY26XP/radiocarbon-dating-of-the-turin-shroud-new-evidence-from-raw)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY261R3EGA/an-instructive-inter-laboratory-comparison-the-1988). Whether this is noise, contamination or a sampling artefact decides whether re-dating is needed. ## Answers 3 [**The heterogeneity reflects ordinary laboratory and pretreatment differences and does not change the medieval…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/answers/ANS0CWY2SAY33HM/the-heterogeneity-reflects-ordinary-laboratory-and) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for Most likely [**Contaminants unevenly removed across the strip biased the dates.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/answers/ANS0CWY2STJ6ZP7/contaminants-unevenly-removed-across-the-strip-biased-the) Tested, but the results don't decide it Evidence: 2 for Disputed [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/answers/ANS0CWY2TJ02K6P/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2020[Di Lazzaro et al. puts forward: contaminants unevenly removed across the strip biased the dates.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY269J3DDN/statistical-and-proactive-analysis-of-an-inter-laboratory) 1. 2020[Di Lazzaro et al.: none of the reanalyses proposes an alternative date.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY269J3DDN/statistical-and-proactive-analysis-of-an-inter-laboratory)For: The heterogeneity reflects ordinary laboratory and pretreatment differences and does not change the medieval… 1. 2020[Di Lazzaro et al.: a monotone spatial variation of subsample ages.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY269J3DDN/statistical-and-proactive-analysis-of-an-inter-laboratory)For: Contaminants unevenly removed across the strip biased the dates. 1. 2020[Walsh & Schwalbe: an approximately linear dependence of dates on sample position.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CWY261R3EGA/an-instructive-inter-laboratory-comparison-the-1988)For: Contaminants unevenly removed across the strip biased the dates. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2HRR1NRJ/is-the-heterogeneity-in-the-1988-raw-data-a-sign-of-a-wrong%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/QST0CWY2HRR1NRJ/is-the-heterogeneity-in-the-1988-raw-data-a-sign-of-a-wrong%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/QST0CWY2HRR1NRJ/is-the-heterogeneity-in-the-1988-raw-data-a-sign-of-a-wrong%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/QST0CWY2HRR1NRJ/is-the-heterogeneity-in-the-1988-raw-data-a-sign-of-a-wrong%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/QST0CWY2HRR1NRJ/is-the-heterogeneity-in-the-1988-raw-data-a-sign-of-a-wrong%23add-source) Where it fits Shroud of Turin [**When was the linen of the Shroud made?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/shroud-of-turin/questions/QST0CWY2H1A0BGE/when-was-the-linen-of-the-shroud-made)Key question · The linen was made between about AD 1260 and 1390, as the 1988 radiocarbon dating found. **Is the heterogeneity in the 1988 raw data a sign of a wrong date?** You're here · the heterogeneity reflects ordinary laboratory and pretreatment differences and does not change the medieval… [ Ask a question under this one ]