The Voynich Ninja

I have included another link to my annotated interpretation of the rosettes folio below. I very much welcome criticism, especially constructive criticism.

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Koen: If you want to transfer this discussion to a separate thread you are welcome if you think that appropriate. The discussion started with reference to your specific theory, but I agree that it deviated from that topic. I thought of starting it in a separate thread, but the continum between one thread and another is not always clear. I may create a separate thread just discussing methodology, of which I have various opinions and which I think is under-discussed, so those comments may belong in that thread.

Honestly I don't know where to split it and what to call the new thread. I'm okay with keeping it like this. If you want to discuss a particular topic specifically though, it may be a good idea to make a new thread about it.

I wish I could find the reference, but some time ago I read an article on diagrams vs maps and it was pointed out that in this time period diagrams were increasingly incorporating map-type features. 

To me, the page is a diagram with some map-like features of a symbolic nature. When interpreting symbolism you have to strip down to simplicity.  Take for instance the actual walls (as opposed to more natural-looking elements such as possible cliffs and water.  What is a wall?  A simple answer is a structure to keep things/people in, or for medieval walls, even more likely to keep things/people out. So, without going into my own interpretation which provides an answer, what are these walls keeping out, and why do they surround only portions of the diagram?

(15-12-2024, 01:00 AM)Barbrey Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I wish I could find the reference, but some time ago I read an article on diagrams vs maps and it was pointed out that in this time period diagrams were increasingly incorporating map-type features. 

Yes, it would be good if you can find evidence of diagrams which are not maps which show the map-like features that we see in the Voynich manuscript. I haven't seen any to the best of my knowledge.

The features that appears to be uniquely shared between the Voynich rosettes folio and medieval maps is the illustration of different, distinctive and separated buildings distributed over the page. When this is combined with the other map-like features it seems to be fit much more naturally in the category of maps than any other category. If someone could find common features that place it in another category of drawing then that would be interesting. It is true that you can find a variety of diagrams with connected circles in them, though not in this form nor nearly as numerous. However, a circle is a very simple mathematical shape, so I think it would be a mistake to read too much into the presence of that shape.

I find it to be an enormous chemical process diagram, or drawing. The map elements are the masking, or the double language, as on many places in the manuscript.

(15-12-2024, 03:25 PM)BessAgritianin Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I find it to be an enormous chemical process diagram, or drawing. The map elements are the masking, or the double language, as on many places in the manuscript.

Well, it seems that almost everyone has a completely different theory of the page. I don't know what we can conclude from that, whether that is due to a desire to have one's own unique interpretation of the page or a general level of confusion on the subject. To me, it has so many map-like characteristics that I tend to conclude it is a map rather than something else pretending to be a map.

(15-12-2024, 04:13 PM)Mark Knowles Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

(15-12-2024, 03:25 PM)BessAgritianin Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I find it to be an enormous chemical process diagram, or drawing. The map elements are the masking, or the double language, as on many places in the manuscript.

Well, it seems that almost everyone has a completely different theory of the page. I don't know what we can conclude from that, whether that is due to a desire to have one's own unique interpretation of the page or a general level of confusion on the subject. To me, it has so many map-like characteristics that I tend to conclude it is a map rather than something else pretending to be a map.

I will try to find that resource for you Mark. It didn’t have illustrations, just talked about it, but following footnotes might take me to examples. 

I never thought it was a map. To me it was always a depiction of the author’s cosmogony/worldview serving as an index to the other parts of the manuscript. But I agree it has many map-like features including geological and geographical. Still, off the top of my head, Dante did something similar to what I think this diagram is intending to accomplish.