[Swordmaker]

Good observation. I have forwarded your reply to Barrie Schworz, publisher of the Shroud of Turin website. Here is a copy.

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Hi Barrie,
I posted a short excerpt of Fred's excellent article on the Jospice Mattress Cover Image and linked the article to your webpage and PDF of the file on FreeRepublic where I maintain a Shroud of Turin Ping list for about 150 0f our members who are interested in the Shroud.

One of our members noticed that Dr. Zugibe has made a classic error of reversal when he reports that the image is the image of a LEFT hand. In actuality, being an apparent contact print, it is actually a RIGHT hand. Here is his post:

To: Swordmaker
I agree with the characterizations that you and others have made, to the effect that the image looks rather “cartoonish.”

For the record, though, there is an error in the article’s description of the image. It says that the hand image is from the left hand. This is incorrect. It is actually an image of the right hand of the purported cadaver. If one were to lie on a mattress (or sit on a chair, for that matter), take his own right hand and place it under his thigh, he would notice that the “pinkie finger” side is toward the outside edge of the right side of the mattreess or chair on which he did this. The thumb would be on the side going toward the middle of the mattress. If one could make a drawing around the hand at this point, and then look at the finished product on the sheet, it would appear to be a “left” hand, as in the photos accompanying this article. What appears is a mirror-image of the hand. Not a big deal, but Dr. Zugibe might want to ask for a correction at Shroud.com in order to increase the credibility of an otherwise interesting article.

15 posted on 12/26/2007 5:43:16 PM PST by magisterium

I think magisterium has a salient point. As a photographer, I think you will notice the same thing that magisterium did. You might want to contact Dr. Zugibe about revising his otherwise excellent article.

I have enjoyed meeting and talking with you when you have participated in Shroud forums in my hometown of Stockton, CA. Do you know when there might be another in this area?

Thanks for a wonderful, well presented website.

Sincerely,
{Swordmaker}

[magisterium]

Thanks, Swordmaker. Could you add me to your Shroud pinglist? I’ve been a “student” of it for some 30 years now, and your list (and Barrie’s site) would be a good way to stay current. Thanks.

[Don Joe]

It's possible they may have flipped the image (in fact, it's clear that they did flip at least one image -- Figure 11 shows the reverse of the other images). Or, the main image may have been taken from the back of the sheet (the same as viewing a slide via the base side, i.e., non-reversed).