Rigor Mortis 

The man of the Shroud is in a state of rigor mortis.

Rigor mortis happens to a person’s body a few hours after they die. The muscles lock up, and the whole body goes stiff. 

Evidence on Rigor Mortis

• The man was lying on the cloth, but his buttocks are not pressed flat. 
• His knees remain slightly bent, just as they were on the cross. 
• His head is tilted forward, the chin resting near the chest—the posture of crucifixion. 

His arms would have been forced down and adjusted to cover his pelvis according to burial custom. 

How Long Was the Man in the Shroud?

Typically, rigor mortis lasts about 40 hours. Then the muscles relax, and the body starts to decompose.

On the Shroud, there is no evidence that the body started to decompose.

• No visible signs of decay
• No relaxation of the muscles evident
• No trace of ammonia gas (released from a decaying corpse)

Therefore, the man was wrapped in the Shroud for less than 40 hours.

Another Mystery: Bloodstains

In the tomb, the dried blood would have softened, and caused the cloth to stick to the body. If you removed the cloth, the bloodstains would smudge and tear. 

Yet the bloodstains on the Shroud have defined edges, with no signs of smudging or smearing. There’s no evidence that the cloth was removed. 

It’s as though the body simply vanished.

Takeaway

The man’s body was wrapped in the Shroud soon after death, but it didn’t stay there long enough to start decomposing. Even more strangely, there’s no sign that the cloth was peeled away. 

What do you think happened in the tomb?