[BroJoeK]

"Again, you don't read well or widely. Did anyone say that a phylactery was worn during crucifixion? No. "

I confess to knowing nothing about phylacteries. Never heard of them before. Never heard a claim that Jesus ever wore phylacteries. Never saw a picture or painting of Jesus showing phylacteries. Never heard of phylacteries leaving long-lasting marks. Never saw a report of phylactery marks on the shroud image.

What seems obviously in the shroud image is a crown of thorns, with blood dripping. This is always referred to in speaking of the shroud. Since phylacteries are not usually mentioned, I'd think someone wishing to make this point would feel some obligation to show what they mean, wouldn't you?

aruanan: "A typical northern European male will grow to around six feet now with a couple of centuries of increasingly better nutrition behind them as well as good in utero nutrition."

Now we see different people making different claims about the average heights of wealthy 12th century northern European knights and poor first century Semitic males. Also, the height of the shroud image is in question -- I think it's six feet, but Swordmaker says shorter.

So, will have to spend some time to see if I can find more authoritative information on these questions.

For the moment, I'll grant you may be right, until or unless I can show otherwise.

[BroJoeK]

"For the moment, I'll grant you may be right, until or unless I can show otherwise."

A little googling produced the following info:

• the Wikipedia article says nothing about phylacteries, nor do photos show any obvious sign of a phylactery. So I conclude, pending further data, that aruanan's remarks about phylactery marks are bogus.
• The Wikipedia article says estimates of the figure's height range from 5 ft 9 inches to 6 ft 2 inches.
• I'd say that is extraordinarily tall, considering that even today, the average Dutchman (world's tallest people) is only 5 ft 10 inches.
• Estimates I found of average male heights during the Roman Empire range from 5 ft to 5 ft 5 inches.
• Other reports say that European Crusaders were typically 6 feet tall.
• All discussions of average heights emphasize that these are at least as much a matter of nurture as nature. In other words, some of us are born to be tall, but all of us will grow taller if well fed & raised.

So, here's the bottom line: we see a shroud image roughly 6 feet tall, which is above average height, even by today's standards, not so unusual for European Crusaders, while extraordinarily tall for the Roman Empire era. We also note that the image looks decidedly not Semitic, but rather northern European.

Finally, is there any other information out there suggesting that Jesus was unusually tall, or not Semitic looking? Not that I know of.