The Voynich Ninja

Hi Laura,
I will point out some more sources about the illustrations, in particular those of the "bathing" section (Quire 13).

The You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. is accompanied by well researched and informative essays by several academic authors. In his preface, Raymond Clemens (Curator of Early Books & Manuscripts at the Beinecke library) parallels the manuscript with alchemical illustrations and the De Balneis Puteolanis, a XIII Century text written in Southern Italy. He writes: "This is not to suggest that the author of the Voynich manuscript represents healing baths or alchemical allegories literally, merely that he or she drew upon traditional representations to construct an original and enigmatic illustration."

In another essay in the same volume, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. focuses on the alchemical tradition. She notices that the illustrations do not fit in the alchemical tradition, mostly because almost all the figures are women, while alchemy made extensive use of male and female elements and sexual metaphors. Yet she seems to believe that the illustrations are likely allegorical: alchemy can then be useful as a parallel, since it is a contemporary line of largely newly-created allegorical imagery, mostlt based on personifications.

In 2015, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. wrote a paper (unluckily only published in Italian) entirely devoted to an analysis of the VMS. Rene Zandbergen has presented the paper on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Touwaide seems to take the images at face value, as likely illustrating medical baths.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (a scholar with a research focus on illustrated herbals) has pointed out in You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (in Italian) to the existence of a XV Century copy of Cadamosto's herbal which also includes an illustrated bathing treaty (New York Public Library Spencer Collection You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). This provides evidence for the relation between late medieval herbal and bathing medicine.


A few art historians have also comment on the astrological images in the VMS.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. noticed that the zodiac wheels are comparable with those in the Alfonsine "Astromagia" manuscript (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). He thought the content possibly includes -a general cosmological philosophy explaining the medical properties of terrestrial objects, particularly plants, by celestial influences transmitted by astral radiation and those "spirits" which were frequently believed to transmit the occult powers of the stars to the earth-

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. has released You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. in which she analysed the Voynich zodiac illustrations in the context of the Western astrological tradition.

In 2016, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. has also commented the zodiac cycle, confirming the observations of Panofsky and Stolot (see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.).

The astrological illustrations in the zodiac cycle and in the "cosmological" section are also discussed by Touwaide in the paper mentioned above.


In conclusion, scholars see illustrated bathing manuscripts as the closest parallels to the images in Quire 13. There is no agreement about whether the illustrations should be taken as mostly literal or fully allegorical (i.e. possibly illustrating something unrelated with bathing).
As far as I know, no scholar has never mentioned the possibility of astrological / astronomical content in Quire 13.

(22-05-2018, 11:22 AM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Hi Laura,
I will point out some more sources about the illustrations, in particular those of the "bathing" section (Quire 13).

Thankyou Marco! I'll enjoy reading through these links 

Although I'm interested in language and etymology I have absolutely no knowledge or insight into the writing itself, but I find the imagery in the VM fascinating, and something that is immediately relatable, so any signposts to more info on the illustrations are very welcome!

(22-05-2018, 11:22 AM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.In another essay in the same volume, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. focuses on the alchemical tradition. She notices that the illustrations do not fit in the alchemical tradition, mostly because almost all the figures are women, while alchemy made extensive use of male and female elements and sexual metaphors. Yet she seems to believe that the illustrations are likely allegorical: alchemy can then be useful as a parallel, since it is a contemporary line of largely newly-created allegorical imagery, mostlt based on personifications.

I know it's pretty far removed from 15th Century Europe but I found some interesting passages (that your comment above reminded me of) in the book, 'Botanical Progress, Horticultural Innovation and Cultural Changes, Vol. 28' by Michael Conan and W. John Kress:

“The use of flowers and floral symbolism figured predominantly in ancient Iranian religions, which developed an elaborate “language of flowers”, to borrow the nineteenth-century French formula. In Zoroastrian religion, and especially in Mazdaism, a different flower or herb was associated with each of the deities called ‘yazatas’. In this sacred garden landscape, flowers were construed as the symbolic receptacles for the spiritual energies of the various deities, affording unlimited possibilities for the contemplation and imaginal envisioning of the celestial forms they embodied. Whereas pungent herbs such as myrtle, marjoram and basil were associated with the highest male deities, including the supreme deity, Ahura Mazda (“the Wise Lord”), the rose was associated, appropriately enough, with Daena, one of the female ‘yazatas’, who was the deity of religion. Moreover, her species of rose was even specified in the Pahlavi texts as the ‘gul-e sad varg’ (New Per. ‘gul-i sad barg’), the “hundred-petalled rose,” that is, ‘Rosa centifolia’, which as already indicated was renowned for its sweet fragrance.
The Daena represented a central concept in Zoroastrian theology, ‘daena’ (Middle Per. ‘den’) denoting religion not in the institutional sense but, rather, man’s spiritual self, his inner vision, and moral conscience. In view of the importance of the sophianic principle in Zoroastrianism, ‘daena’ also referred to innate human wisdom as an emanation of divine wisdom, a quality always associated in Persian thought with the feminine. Henry Corbin discerned in the figure of Daena the female archetype of wisdom and intuitive vision who represents the secret presence of the Eternal feminine in man, and who, necessarily construed as an angelophany, is the “Angel of his incarnate soul,” his heavenly guided celestial counterpart.” (page 20)

And then on page 25:
[font=Helvetica Neue]“Applying their innovative hermeneutical strategies to the image of the rose, the Persian mystical poets transformed this mythopoetic signifier of beauty and mystery, which was redolent of associations with ancient Iranian deities and Qur’anic prophets, into the symbol of the ineffability of the divine Essence, by focusing on the ineffable nature of its scent. In the poetic imagination of Rumi in particular, the scent of the rose became the sensory catalyst for imaginal vision of the Divine and for spiritual perception of the Unseen, pointing the way to the rose bush of the Real and the numinous beauty of the soul itself.
(...)
To gauge cultural changes resulting from innovations in rose cultivation, one would have to look sooner to Europe. Although initially debased under the influence of early Christian ascetic ideals that associated it with the hedonism and voluptuousness of the pagan Roman Empire, the culture of the rose “returned” to Europe in the twelfth century. Only during the Renaissance, however, was it truly revived.”[/font]

In addition to the extensive list by Marco in You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. , one may also mention an opinion expressed by You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. .
It is unfortunately not very well documented, and to my best knowledge he only mentioned it in a number of letters.
These letters are scattered over several archives, mainly the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. .

He considered the MS to be Paracelsan, and d'Imperio ("Elegant Enigma", 1978) quotes a letter of Singer to John Tiltman:

"My own feeling [...] about the little figures of nude men and women in the organs of the body is that they are somehow connected with the "archaei" of the Paracelsan or spagyric school."
D'Imperio adds her own comment that she considers these drawings of tubes more related to plant parts than to organs of the body.

On a side note, Johannes Marcus Marci, owner of the MS in the 1660's, physician and close friend of the spagyric alchemist Georgius Baresch, who owned the MS before him, was himself attracted to the school of Paracelsus.
It is entirely possible that he had a similar opinion, but this is certainly speculation.

Both the Zoroastrian yazatas and Paracelsan "archaei" seem potentially interesting. In particular, the Zoroastrian calendar has 30 deities associated with the days of the month: this looks like a good parallel for the 30 nymphs surrounding the Voynich zodiac medallions (but the Persian deities are both male and female, as far as I know).

It is not clear to me how much the Paracelsan "archei" are close to be actual personifications. They do sound similar to the concepts discussed by Taiz and Taiz. Of course, Paracelsus is about one century too late for a possible influence on the VMS, but one could search for similar concepts in earlier writers.

(24-05-2018, 08:42 AM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Both the Zoroastrian yazatas and Paracelsan "archaei" seem potentially interesting. In particular, the Zoroastrian calendar has 30 deities associated with the days of the month: this looks like a good parallel for the 30 nymphs surrounding the Voynich zodiac medallions (but the Persian deities are both male and female, as far as I know).

I have a question. Is it definite all the figures are female? Or is that up for debate? Everyone always refers to them as women, but the very definite boobs aren't there on some of the figures, and at least 2 of the ones I've attached here look like they have beards? Also, the central couple on f72r2 look almost like a wedding/married couple, and if that's the case, 'his' style of clothing and hair are present on a few of the other nymphs. Please do tell me if I'm completely wrong!
I know the following aren't all taken from the 'medallions' with 30 figures that you mention above, some have 15, and one has (I think) 29, but could not some of these be men? 
 
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We speak about "nymphs", "ladies" etc out of convenience, but it is generally agreed that there are a few dozen men. I think between 50 and 60 in the whole manuscript, but this is just from memory. Does someone recall if we counted this once?

Anyway, apart from the obvious men like the ones you selected, many of the "women" are also androgynous or otherwise problematic. For example, on several ones both breasts have been added later in darker ink. My personal suspicion is that the VM images were copied from a source that did not differentiate well between the male and female body, and there was some doubt by the copyist. Bu that's speculation. It is true that such styles exist - I remember bibles where it's almost impossible to tell Adam from Eve. Female breasts and male pectorals look very similar then, and the genitals are either not drawn or indicated with somehting that looks like some awkward pubic hair.

I also think you're right about the beards, and that again there may be more beards than we'd suspect. Apparently only the outlines of facial hair are drawn, which makes it hard to recognize.

(22-05-2018, 11:22 AM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. noticed that the zodiac wheels are comparable with those in the Alfonsine "Astromagia" manuscript (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). He thought the content possibly includes -a general cosmological philosophy explaining the medical properties of terrestrial objects, particularly plants, by celestial influences transmitted by astral radiation and those "spirits" which were frequently believed to transmit the occult powers of the stars to the earth-

This is an interesting link (I have by no means worked through all the ones you posted yet!).

With Koen's comment in mind about there not being any uses of female figures as an allegory on the biological functions of plants in any of the manuscripts he's seen... It's only perhaps a small step from female figures representing "those *spirits* which were frequently believed to transmit the occult powers of the stars to the earth" in order to explain "the medical properties of terrestrial objects, particularly plants", to a manuscript (in my mind, the VM) which goes that little bit further and illustrates those same *spirits* being the celestial influence that animates and brings to life those same plants. In a way this could actually complement many existing theories about the manuscript's links to constellations / the zodiac / alchemy etc.

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(24-05-2018, 07:50 PM)Koen Gh. Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.We speak about "nymphs", "ladies" etc out of convenience, but it is generally agreed that there are a few dozen men. I think between 50 and 60 in the whole manuscript, but this is just from memory. Does someone recall if we counted this once?

Thankyou, that clears that one up. I wasn't sure if I was missing something!

(24-05-2018, 07:50 PM)Koen Gh. Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.My personal suspicion is that the VM images were copied from a source that did not differentiate well between the male and female body, and there was some doubt by the copyist. Bu that's speculation. 

From an artist's perspective, I think you are right. There are elements of some of the drawings that imply the author had a good understanding of the underlying structure of both plants and bodies, but the execution is rather shoddy. It looks convincingly like a (not very accomplished) artist has copied illustrations from a much better original. I see this all the time when looking at school children's copies of famous works; they have something of the original's interesting elements, but usually look awkward and clunky - just like the VM!

(That's not to say I don't find the VM beautiful, I do! But it's undoubtedly child-like. )

(24-05-2018, 08:02 PM)Aurara84 Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.With Koen's comment in mind about there not being any uses of female figures as an allegory on the biological functions of plants in any of the manuscripts he's seen... It's only perhaps a small step from female figures representing "those *spirits* which were frequently believed to transmit the occult powers of the stars to the earth" in order to explain "the medical properties of terrestrial objects, particularly plants", to a manuscript (in my mind, the VM) which goes that little bit further and illustrates those same *spirits* being the celestial influence that animates and brings to life those same plants. In a way this could actually complement many existing theories about the manuscript's links to constellations / the zodiac / alchemy etc.

I agree with your opinion, also on the basis of the existence of illustrations representing astral spirits as personifications. Of course, the personifications of the seven planets are common in late medieval works. But another work related with Alfonso X (the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.) represents 360 angels in 12 zodiac wheels with 30 angels each.
Another example I am less familiar with was pointed out by You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..
All image-only speculation remains rather sterile until we make progress on the language: these ideas have led Voynich researcher to some lists of 360 spirits, but attempts to match them with the labels of the so-called nymphs in the Voynich zodiac have not been successful.