For a while I have been looking for topics comparable to the Voynich*. I do not mean in terms of contents, etc., but in terms of research efforts put into it, and diversity of opinions on it's true nature. And all the stuff that goes along.. I hope you understand what I mean. *It is a complex, really.
So far the "Vynland Map" has been my best guess. But lately I came across a Codex that CAN be read, and yet is regarded as largely unexplained by it's researchers, the Codex Manesse (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/cpg848">http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/cpg848</a><!-- m -->). This is just an example. IF we knew to read the MS, would we really be any smarter? I would love to hear your opinion on this.
Best
Gert
Don't know if your question ever implies this, but generally the most complex historic enigmas are those which are linked to interests (political, economic etc.) of certain powers or elites, to matters of wide social resonance, the explanation of which has dramatic impact on national or international affairs. The complexity is added not only by that the truth is hidden in those cases, but also but that there are actors deeply interested in that the truth never becomes known.
What's the case of 9/11 attacks? Where has the Malaysia Airlines MH370 gone? Who brought down flight MH17? These are just some recent examples.
The king of all historic enigmas, to my opinion, is the question of what is the true story of the "Katyn massacre" - the story that bears evidence of ongoing controversy and falsification through decades (!), suggesting that interests of different powers have been, and continue to be, intricately intertwined in this matter. Not only this matter is the significant factor of international relations, but it is like some curse that is not lifted yet, as the Polish board 101 crash at Smolensk-Severny grimly symbolizes.
Compared to those great enigmas, the Voynich Manuscript is but the child game. The manuscript is existing, it's available, it's accessible. Nobody tries to destroy it or to introduce any falsification. But imagine, for example, if it were destroyed in 1920s, and we were left with nothing but some low-quality photos. How much more difficult would that have made the whole problem!
The Voynich Manuscript is nice and it is a challenge, but by no means it is the most enigmatic thing in history. The better for that, because in deciphering it we need not live in fear of being found drowned in an empty pool (or something like that :-)) due to our coming closer to the truth.
Child play it is, compared to those more grave problems. That's why we don't need to take it so damn serious as some of us sometimes do. It should not ruin any careers or the like..
Anyways to be honest I was thinking on more harmless topics, in terms of The Vynland Map, The Shroud of Turin, The Gospel of Mary or (gasp), even Stonehenge or the Great Pyramid. The latter are not good examples, I know. But what I was referring to mainly was to find a topic comparable in scientific dispute over it's origin, purpose, authenticity and contents. So the Vynland Map & Mary's Gospel do fit better. Is the ink the map has been drawn with authentic? Is the Gospel a fake despite the correctly C14 dated papyrus? I hope this clarifies my question a bit.
What about the Shugborough monument? I've never been in England, but I think this will be one of the first places that I'd like to see.
Ah, I forgot about that one, thank you! I throw in templar related inscriptions on the american continent..
Voynich Bombe - thanks for that link. I happened to mention this codex recently, but had no idea where it was. Very good to know. Thank you.
More generally, I think 'enigmas' are more reflective of the perceiver's ignorance than any quality inherent in the object. Generally. Take the pyramids' method of construction. It was an 'enigma' only until people learned enough to understand how it was done.
With most things, and with the Voynich manuscript too, the enigma will be solved when we start to be more critical of our own assumptions. All bad arguments and bad theories stem from faulty premises.
As for what is comparable to the Voynich imagery - I've spent a bit of time on that, but the main problem is that when people begin with a theory, they become so attached to it that it becomes difficult even to "see" contrary evidence.
I'm fairly sure that I've found a text which is closely comparable to the way in which folio 75v has been constructed, but frankly I don't think it's worth talking about except with outside experts just yet. I cannot think of anyone in Voynich studies who'd not boggle at the thought of a text as comparable which has such a provenance. Sorry if that sounds enigmatic.
Ah, Diane,
I don't know if you are around still (or yet), but your last paragraph left me with some anticipation for sure!
As to my question, questioning can go wrong so many ways. I was looking for topics that produced similar, seemingly unreconcilable positions in discourse over decades. Now I think I have found the perfect example:
Vinca culture: Script or not?
Basically also here it boils down to two opposing parties, the ones that only accept and build upon what is accepted knowledge, and the ones that are eager to aquire new knowledge. Nothing new will happen as long as there is no reconciliation or some spectacular find that proves one or the other.
Personally, I find the similarities between Vincan "script" and Cretan Linear A very compelling.
I don't know of anything in todays times that's comparable to Voynichology - but hop a couple of centuries back, and Egyptology was pretty much exactly the same, with loads of strange theories floating around, and people's careers being risked.
And it was all for nothing, once the Rosetta stone was found
I dare say that the Indus script is the most directly comparable thing. It is certainly contentious both in its nature and its meaning. Researchers cannot agree whether it is a script for writing a language or simply a system of prelinguistic symbols. Furthermore, there is a great deal of cultural nationalism attached to the identity of the underlying language.
Sadly, the sheer bigness of the task for deciphering the script (if it is one) dwarves the Voynich manuscript. The inscriptions are short, without a great deal of context, and were made over a great span of time and place. The payoff will be much bigger, however, as the Voynich manuscript is unlikely to be greatly interesting once it can be read. Yet the Indus script will open up a whole civilization once we understand it.
I reviewed the site You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. , which shows more than 1,000 reproductions on medical thematics starting from the 9th century. They also found drawings of plants with human organs and animals. I was delighted quality of the images compared to VMS. In VMS is felt some sort childishness. Either the author was a bad artist and used the bound manuscript (or a set of copybooks) as a diary while traveling. Make sketches and writing. Then, upon arrival, he paints over them.
So on page 26r dense green paint fell over 9, having painted over part of the tail.