The Voynich Ninja

I touched on this in a blog, but didn't go into it in detail because I was more concerned about zodiac imagery at the time and didn't have time to talk about baskets, but maybe it's a good topic for the forum.

In the two depictions of "Taurus" (a red long-horned animal), the animal is eating from a basket with green stuff in it (or walking next to a basket with a green interior). I had noted earlier that one of the baskets has a diagonal weave (which is much less common than horizontal weaves) and that it's unusual for bulls to eat from baskets (this usually only happens in hot countries and not often).

Another thing I had noticed about the basket, but wasn't sure, is that it might be the kind that narrows at the bottom. It's hard to tell because it butts up against the edge of the circle that surrounds the drawing.

Here is a detail from f71v:

[attachment=1538]

Here is an example of what I mean by a basket that narrows (I can't be sure it's this kind but I offer it as a possibility). I chose this one because it has a diagonal weave:

[attachment=1539]

These were general-purpose baskets but seem to have been mainly used for items associated with women, such as spinning and sewing tools, flowers, and sometimes fruits. It's called calathus, qualus, quasillus. Slaves who spun were called quasillaria.

This one from Tacuinum Sanitatus is narrower at the bottom (used for harvesting chives/shallots), but it doesn't have a diagonal weave:





So... is the diagonal weave significant?

Is it a basket with a narrow bottom?

Were diagonal (and possibly narrowed) baskets used for other purposes?

Are there any examples of bulls feeding from this specific kind of basket?


It's quite difficult to find images of bulls eating from any kind of basket (I only saw two or three) and especially difficult to find this in zodiac imagery (I can't remember whether I was able to locate any) but maybe the Voynich community can unravel whether the weave and shape of the basket has any significance.

(offtopic) Just noticed that heads of all mammals in the Zodiac follow more or less the same graphical template. Abstract from the horns and compare with the lion's head.

I've noticed that skinny cows have much longer-looking necks than those that are filled out:

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When I do find rare image of cows eating from baskets, they are usually from subtropical areas (e.g., north Africa, India).

I lean towards a cylindrical basket, since in other roundels, figures are cut off as well (Gemini). The basket appears to be positioned on sloping terrain, which might explain the tilt. Also, this isn't exactly the best drawing in the manuscript...

What I don't understand is the mess that's been made around the foreleg, where it goes "behind" the basket. It seems to have been traced in different ink and the pattern doesn't match up. Also, the foreleg is exceptionally awkward, even for Voynich fauna standards.

Hi JKP, 
I wrote a blog post on the subject of parallels to the baskets in December which you might find interesting. 
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Also mentioned another parallel with the baskets shown in Barb. Gr. 372, in another post:
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Examples from the Tübinger Hausbuch have been posted on a number of threads, but I've decided to post it again because.... it includes a picture of a cylindrical basket (possibly tapering at the bottom, possibly one that can be carried on one's back):




The image also has a star, and teardrop-shaped dangly sacs that are a bit reminiscent of VMS shapes.

I can't tell if the man leaning against the main tent support has a pleated tunic, but the sleeves are wider at the elbow, narrow at the wrists and shoulders, with a plain collar (like that of the VMS archer).

The reason why you wouldn't have a tapering off basket to feed animals is - because they wouldn't be able to get at the food at the bottom. So it's completely impractical.

Solutions?:

• It's a mistake by the scribe (ie, he wasn't at all interested in the basket and just drew it to look good)
  
• It's intentional, and the basket was used for something else but the bull has gotten into it.
  

I think the explanation is rather that the shape of the basket is not completely visible since at the bottom it's cut by the circle.

Though I do like David's 'naughty bull' suggestion

I rather like the "naughty bull" idea also...  because it made me look at the basket a little more closely.

There is something attached to the bull's side of the basket, an extra line that doesn't seem to be part of the landscape. Could that be a cord—an arm strap like those on a backpack?

If it is, it's too low, the basket would sit high over the head or, perhaps, the cord is sitting higher but is sagging because there's nothing going through it?


Could it be something other than a cord? It doesn't fit the profile of the rest of the basket.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. of rustic rural implements - including many types of baskets - used in farming across Spain in recent centuries. Woven baskets are about a third of the way down. Not exhaustive, but shows the whole tendency of baskets for different uses. Remember that woven baskets are entirely functional, and I say this as someone living in a place where they still make and use a lot of them. They have a function and are mass produced (by hand) to fulfill that function.