The Voynich Ninja

I have quite a few pictures of medieval tie-downs for tents (they often didn't bother to draw these details but sometimes we are lucky and they added them).


Unfortunately, I can't upload them right now, another deadline (as usual)... always deadlines during the workday. Global commerce is a hungry bear that always needs feeding.

Maybe I can grab just a couple, but it's not likely to be the best, but it might get the idea across about the "tracery" on the edges of the VMS drawing... This is from BL Add 12531 and it's probably not that accurate (it seems not completely structural), the second one is better, notice the three sections gathered into one (BL Royal 2A XVI):

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One thing I noticed in eastern tents was they sometimes used a butterfly knot (descriptive term, not a technical term), where two pieces come together in a knot about 25% way from the tend and then split out again, creating an X shape.

Once again I want to draw your attention to the legs of the two tents in the lower right rosette.
To draw racks (including in the form of a hollow pipe), it is enough to draw two vertical lines (forming a cylinder). We see this at the left canopy, while at the right canopy all three legs are drawn in three parallel lines. Moreover, an additional decoration (ornament of strokes) is located only between two lines on all legs. That is, the ornament is located on the outside of the gutter, but on the inside, through which water flows, it is not needed. The gutters can be made of ceramic or large bamboo.
If the central leg of the left canopy ends with something similar to a water flow distributor, then the central gutter of the right canopy ends with a “horseshoe” (red circle). I identify it as a tunnel with water (blue paint).
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The middle illustration on the rosette foldout looks to me as if the towers were spanned with a symbolic "sky tent". The perspective is a bit distorted, but I think it's clear to see.

I think so too. It's a strange world vision, because the central rosette appears to be surrounded by clouds as well. It's like two layers of sky.

(09-10-2019, 12:17 PM)Wladimir D Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.That is, the ornament is located on the outside of the gutter, but on the inside, through which water flows, it is not needed. The gutters can be made of ceramic or large bamboo.
If the central leg of the left canopy ends with something similar to a water flow distributor, then the central gutter of the right canopy ends with a “horseshoe” (red circle). I identify it as a tunnel with water (blue paint).

I agree. I have said that these "legs" are most likely water pipes.

(08-10-2019, 03:10 PM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Mark's recent You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. as a cloister and a herb-garden has similar problems: the poles, the fringes and the similarity between the two structures remains unexplained.

I think what you call "poles" or "legs" I have said and illustrated in my opinion are water drainage pipes. Within my model, I am not exactly sure what I think you call "fringes" are, but at my best guess I think they relate to the draining of excess water from the gardens irrigation.

The heraldic pattern on the pavilion is obviously coincidental, but still fun. 
I guess the image is from Aarau, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (Switzerland 1510-1535), but I could not find the exact page.

(08-10-2019, 05:04 PM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Interesting thread. I had never considered tents because the poles' relative thickness makes them look like pillars. And the perspective seems off. But the way you  color them makes sense. I certainly agree that the circular one looks like a tent seen from above.

The perspective is far from perfect. I believe that Ellie's interpretation is supported by the similar (but clearer) perspective in the central rosette.

(08-10-2019, 05:04 PM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Off the top of my head, I associate tents in medieval art with two things in particular, i.e. certain Old Testament scenes, and war. But there's certainly more, it's not something I've studied in detail.

It's true that many of the illustrations of tents appear in Old Testament manuscripts. I see that the vulgate often refers to tents (tentoria) and canopies (tabernacula), but I don't know why. Possibly, it is again about war, or maybe the Jews were portrayed as nomadic people.
In addition to war and the Old Testament, another theme appears to be nobility / kingship, in particular for baldachins, but I believe for pavilions too (image from Bern, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). Again, it is not always easy to exclude that war is involved. The peaceful usage of tents in a market is illustrated in the "classical" You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..


I see the tents in the Voynich manuscript as allegorical, but maybe literal illustrations can still be helpful in trying to understand something of the intended meaning.

(09-10-2019, 06:26 PM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.It's true that many of the illustrations of tents appear in Old Testament manuscripts. I see that the vulgate often refers to tents (tentoria) and canopies (tabernacula), but I don't know why. Possibly, it is again about war, or maybe the Jews were portrayed as nomadic people. 

From the time I was researching the Menorah, I remember the OT also contains exact instructions about the construction of the Tabernacle, which was to house said Menorah and the Ark. I'm far from well read on this subject, so if it's worth something it needs more investigating. But here's a modern rendition of what it's supposed to look like in accordance with the Biblical description:


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And a different one:

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There's some thematic similarity, at least.

A few potential problem that I see with the tent hypothesis.

1) Why are the poles much longer than the sides "fringes". Are we saying the tents are only partially covered and open in much of the lower area, so that they really only have a roof?

2) What is happening with the central pole of the square tent that connects directly into the the spreading out pattern that I call "fields".

3) Why has the author drawn tents?