Do Not Open

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Do Not Open
Do Not Open
Author	John Farndon
Illustrator	Gilman Calsen, Sheila Collins, Craig Conlan, Alain Goffin, Hennie Haworth, Irene Jacobs, Neal Murren, Led Pants, Ali Pellatt.
Cover artist	Mariza O'Keeffe
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Subject(s)	Miscellaneous/Secrets
Genre(s)	Kids/Reference/General
Publisher	DK
Publication date	8th July, 2007
Published in English	8th July, 2007
Pages	257
ISBN	978-1-40532-207-2
Preceded by	Pick Me Up

Do Not Open is, by its own title, "an encyclopedia of the world's best-kept secrets", written by John Farndon for children. It contains unexplained mysteries, great escapes, codes, illusions and hoaxes, the book also includes Secret services, iris recognition, the Turin shroud, haunted places and the famous Arnolfini Marriage painting.

The book comes in a cardboard open flapped box in the shape and style of a safe.^[1]

1 The book
2 More subjects
3 References
4 Footnotes

[edit] The book

The following subjects are included in the book,

[edit] Turin Shroud

Main article: Turin Shroud

This photo shows a positive and negative image of the Shroud of Turin. Photo taken in 1898 by Secondo Pia (1855-1941). This is the first photo taken of the relic in history.

The Book includes the time line of the Turin Shroud, The mysterious shroud found in the Cathedral of St John in Turin, Italy.

[edit] Time line

1354: First Historic Mention of the Shroud when it is recorded as being in the hands of Geoffroy de Charnay in Lirey, France

1389: The image on the Shroud is denounced as a fraud by Bishop Pierre d'Arcis in a letter to the pope.

1453: Geoffroy's granddaughter, who has inherited the Shroud, sells it to Louis of Savoy who displays it in many cities all around Europe.

1532: The Shroud is burned in a fire at the house of Savoy. A group of nuns try to repair the damage to the cloth and use patches to rectify some parts

1578: The Shroud is moved to to Turin Cathedral.

1978: To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the move to Turin, it is put on public display.

2002: During restoration, another image of the face is discovered on the back of the cloth.

[edit] Origins of flags

Japanese flag		Swiss Flag
The Japanese "big circle" is the rising sun.		The Swiss flag symbolizes Christianity.
German Flag		Irish Flag
The colours on the German flag are the colours on the German army's uniform. (Black coats, red braid, gold buttons).		The colours on the Irish flag come from the Battle of the Boyne, the green is the Roman Catholics, (James VII and II) and the orange is for the protestants ("William of Orange") and the white is to symbolize peace.
Canadian Flag
The Canadian flag features the maple leaf, the national plant of Canada.

[edit] Cheyenne Mountain

Cheyenne Mountain

Main article: Cheyenne Mountain

The book also includes an insight into the American nuclear base, Cheyenne Mountain which includes

Bomb proof doors

Missile warning base

Metal walls

Space defence operations center

[edit] Arnolfini Marriage

The Arnolfini Marriage

The Book includes many details of Jan van Eyck's "Arnolfini Marriage".

[edit] Details of Painting

The man stands nearer to the window than the woman, symbolizing his closer relationship to the outside world.
The single candle in the chandler may represent his wife died, leaving him a widower.
Van Eyck's signature over the mirror has led some experts that the painting was a marriage document.
The two figures reflected in the mirror are the marriage witnesses, one could be Van Eych himself.
The medallions around the mirror show scenes from the story of Jesus's crucifixion.
The colour of red stands for physical love.
There is a statue of St Margaret (Patron Saint of childbirth) on the bedpost.
The brushes hanging from the bedpost near the woman symbolize that she is a homemaker.
The mirror is a sign of the eye of god.
The lady's bump was a fashionable type of dress, not a sign of pregnancy.
The contrast between red and green suggests a coming together of opposites.
The dog is a symbol of fidelity.
Clogs were a gift traditionally given to a bride by her husband.
The oranges on the chest are a sign of wealth.(Since oranges were a very expensive in Belgium at the time)