[NYer]

People who are caretakers of priceless heirlooms sometimes have them restored and repaired over and over and over again. So, through the decades and centuries, the actual original material is largely replaced. The object remains the same and is kept in good condition because the caretakers have reverence for it.

:-) And that is precisely how a snippet of the shroud, sent for analysis, came back with a medieval date. As you pointed out, it was a caretaker who approached the task centuries ago to reweave frayed fabric and did such an excellent job that it was not visible to the naked eye.

You can read more here.

[concerned about politics]

As you pointed out, it was a caretaker who approached the task centuries ago to reweave frayed fabric and did such an excellent job that it was not visible to the naked eye.

The shroud was in a fire. It was burnt, but they managed to get it out of the building before it was totally destroyed. The burnt parts were probably rewoven. Otherwise, there would still be burn marks in it.