The Voynich Ninja
Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - Printable Version

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Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - fabmas - 27-11-2025

A proposal to read the manuscript as an operational guide to fertility, conception, and medieval gynecological health.
1. Introduction and Personal Intuition
I hypothesized that the manuscript is not a random collection of texts of diverse nature, but a progressive medical manual (a "Step-by-step guide") specifically dedicated to women's health, pre-conception purification, and obstetrics.
According to my analysis, the order of the sections is not accidental but follows the logic of the biological cycle: it starts with the preparation of the body (Botanical), moves to the choice of timing (Astronomical), analyzes internal effects (Balneological), observes fetal development (Cosmological), leads to the practical preparation of remedies (Pharmaceutical), and concludes with the use of the final index, that takes the place of the "recipe" part.
2. The Problem I Encountered
Traditional interpretations struggle to convincingly explain the presence of what I call "botanical chimeras" (non-existent or assembled plants) and the anomaly of female figures inserted into zodiac diagrams. My idea is that, by applying the medieval Doctrine of Signatures and interpreting the text as a work on the "Secrets of Women" (often censored or encrypted to avoid ecclesiastical condemnation), these apparently absurd images acquire a perfectly coherent metaphorical meaning.
3. My Sequential Analysis of the Sections
Phase 1: Botanical (Preparation and Purification)
  • What I observed: The illustrations show plants often composed of parts from different species (e.g., disproportionate roots, flowers grafted onto non-matching stems).
  • My deduction: I believe this is not a taxonomic herbarium, but a functional one. The plants represent ingredients chosen for their purifying and purgative properties, essential in the humoral medicine of the time to prepare the womb for conception.
  • Key Detail: I noticed that the roots and stems, sometimes anthropomorphic or similar to organs/tubes, seem to visually indicate the target organ to be "purged," in line with the logic of signatures.
Phase 2: Astronomy and Astrology (The Timing)
  • What I observed: Zodiacs with female figures (often nude or in tubs) positioned at the center or edges of the signs.
  • My deduction: I do not believe this is a generic horoscope, but a fertility calendar. It serves to indicate the propitious moments (lunar phases and specific months) to administer the cures described in Phase 1 or to attempt conception.
  • Key Detail: The obsessive presence of women in the zodiac signs (e.g., Pisces, Aries) suggests to me that the focus is exclusively on the astral influence related to the menstrual and uterine cycle.
Phase 3: Balneological (Internal Anatomy and Diagnosis)
  • What I observed: Nude women immersed in green/blue tubs, connected by complex plumbing systems.
  • My deduction: I interpret this section as a metaphorical representation of female anatomical hydraulics. The tubes are not hydraulic, but biological (fallopian tubes, veins, intestines). The tubs represent the organs (uterus, bladder).
  • My visual interpretation:
    • Happy women/high up: Indicate correct flow of humors, successful purification, and therefore fertility.
    • Sad/upside-down/dead women: Indicate obstruction of the "tubes," illness, sterility, or miscarriage caused by lack of treatment.
    • I think the "nymphs" could metaphorically represent the ova or the vital principle ("homunculus") traveling through the body.
Phase 4: Cosmology and Rosettes (Embryology and Development)
  • What I observed: The famous foldout (Folio 86v) with 6 connected circular structures and a central vortex.
  • My deduction: I see here a representation of the Microcosm (womb) in parallel with the Macrocosm, describing the journey of the fetus.
    • The Central Vortex: I identify this as the moment of conception/fertilization.
    • The Castles/Islands: Represent the different "chambers" or stages of fetal development ("cooking" of the fetus according to medieval medicine).
    • The Walls/Towers: Are the protective membranes (amnion/chorion) defending the nascent life.
Phase 5: Pharmaceutical (Medical Technology)
  • What I observed: Roots, leaves, and jars (albarelli).
  • My deduction: This is the practical laboratory manual. After identifying the plants (Phase 1) and the right time (Phase 2), this section explains how to transform them into bio-available medicines (decoctions, ointments) to achieve the effects seen in Phase 3.
Phase 6: Final Text and "Stars" (The Reasoned Index)
  • What I observed: Blocks of dense text with stylized stars/flowers in the margin, varying in shape and color.
  • My deduction: I believe this section, often ignored, is the fundamental key to reading the manuscript. It does not contain recipes, but acts as an Index or Marginal Notes.
  • The Star Code: I noticed that the marginal stars vary by color (Red, Blue, Gold) and shape (filled, hollow, number of points).
    • I hypothesize that each type of star is an analog "hyperlink" referring back to one of the previous sections (e.g., Red Star = Reference to Botanical; Blue Star = Reference to Balneological).
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe the Voynich Manuscript does not need to be read as a geographical or mystical-religious code. The reading most consistent with "Occam's Razor," according to my analysis, is that of a practical, sequential, and logically structured medical manual for human reproductive assistance. The encryption of the text would be explained by the need to protect gynecological knowledge considered taboo or dangerous ("Secrets of Women") in 15th-century Europe.
Proposal for Verification
I suggest statistically analyzing the recurrence of glyphs in the final section (Phase 6) in correlation with the colors and shapes of the marginal stars, to verify if patterns exist that lead back to the specific lexicon of the previous sections, thus confirming my index theory.

This work is based on my studies on history in school and by self-taught, and obviously by some curiosity that sparked in me some months ago. I hope that even this theory doesn't lead anywhere on it's own, it may spark some new theories that finally may lead to the discovery of something new.
(P.S sorry for the formatting of the text i don't know what happened)

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - zvijezda - 28-12-2025

I agree that the Voynich is most likely a fertility guide or gynecological manual.

I found this paper by historian Jong-Kuk Nam, featured in the Korean Journal of Medical History in 2016, extremely enlightening. It focuses on fertility treatments in 15th century Italy, covering both medical practices and folk remedies, following the records and correspondences of a noblewoman from Florence struggling to conceive. It addresses astrology, humors and complexions, bathing and hot springs, poultices made of plants, incantations and prayers. 
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I'm currently working on a theory that relates to the crowned nymphs of the zodiac and seasonal fertility planning. 

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - Jorge_Stolfi - 29-12-2025

(28-12-2025, 11:51 PM)zvijezda Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I agree that

Faux pas. Here we are not supposed to agree about anything.  Big Grin

All the best, --stolfi

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - Koen G - 29-12-2025

This theory would benefit from some specific examples, and especially reference to 15th century practices. Right now, it looks like all sections of the manuscript are squeezed into the narrative.

There are 134 large plant drawings in the MS. Since you say they are composites and actually refer to groups of plants, we must assume that more (200?) plants are referenced. How many plants were specifically associated with fertility? And more generally, which materials do we find in medieval books about fertility? Which plants were most often recommended? Can those be found in the MS? What about the 100+ other plants?

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - Rafal - 29-12-2025

Quote:P.S sorry for the formatting of the text i don't know what happened
This forum has a crappy, buggy engine that from time to time does random, weird stuff to formatting  Wink

And as for the actual stuff...
It is quite possible that VM is a treatise on female health and pregnancy. Or to make it precise it looks like a a treatise on female health and pregnancy.

For me the biggest question is - is it a real treatise or is it "fake"? 
By "fake" I don't mean that it was made in the 20th century but that it was rather used by a medieval charlatan. In such case the text is gibberish, the plants are frankenstein monsters and other sections like balneological are also frankenstein monsters - mixing art from treatises about balneology, anatomy and astronomy but doing it in a psychedelic way without any bigger, rational logic behind it.

Such option was suggested several times, for example by Sergio Toresella.

For many years people are struggling to make sense of Voynich Manuscript but what if it was designed to look like very wise but actually doesn't have a deeper sense?

You need to remember about this possibility.

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - nablator - 29-12-2025

If you ignore all negative evidence, every theory is perfect. Unfortunately imagination is not evidence: people have been seeing ships and armies in the clouds since antiquity... now fluffy bunnies are more popular but they are still not real. "It looks like" is a weak argument when it is not confirmed by other elements. Some superficial resemblance to intestines and other organs is all there is. But a closer examination does not support this interpretation: where the liquids come from (above), what goes into and out of the tubes (definitely not blood), what the "women" (nymphs) do (they are actors of an allegory, not objects), the air symbol (cloudband) and beast...

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - nablator - 29-12-2025

(29-12-2025, 11:48 AM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.This theory would benefit from some specific examples, and especially reference to 15th century practices.

When you ask for specific reference, the AI is happy to hallucinate them.

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - bi3mw - 29-12-2025

(29-12-2025, 11:48 AM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.This theory would benefit from some specific examples, and especially reference to 15th century practices.

There is a very readable dissertation by Dorothée Leidig (unfortunately in German): "Frauenheilkunde in volkssprachigen Arznei- und Kräuterbüchern des 12. bis 15. Jahrhunderts. Eine empirische Untersuchung." Here is an excerpt from the plants that were used in women's medicine (translated into English). They are discussed in detail in the dissertation.

Alpinia officinarum Hance – Lesser galangal
Anethum foeniculum L. / Foeniculum vulgare Mill. – Fennel
Apium graveolens L. – Celery
Aristolochia rotunda L. / A. clematitis L. – Smearwort, Birthwort
Artemisia abrotanum L. – Southernwood
Artemisia absinthium L. – Common wormwood
Artemisia vulgaris L. - Common mugwort
Berberis vulgaris L. – Common barberry
Betonia officinalis L. / Stachys betonica Bentham – Betony
Carum carvi L. – Caraway
Cinnamomum zyclanicum - Cinnamon
Commiphora molmol Engler – Common myrrh
Hyssopus officinalis L. - Hyssop
Iris spec. – Iris
Juniperus sabina L. – Savin juniper
Laurus nobilis L. – Laurel
Malva silvestris L. – Common mallow
Mentha aquatica L., Mentha arvensis L. od. Mentha longifolia Nathh. – Mint
Mentha pulegium L. – Pennyroyal
Paeonia officinalis L. – Common peony
Petroselinum crispum Mill. / Petroselinum hortense Hoffm. - Parsley
Apium petroselinum L. – Parsley (?)
Pimpinella anisum L. – Anise
Plantago spec. – Plantains
Ruta graveolens L. – Common rue
Salvia officinalis L. – Common sage
Urtica dioica L. – Common nettle
Verbena officinalis L. – Common vervain

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edit: A very comprehensive list of plants is provided starting on page 489.

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - zvijezda - 29-12-2025

Did anyone review the paper I linked? It includes several specific examples from 15th century medicine as well as folk practices.
  • poultices of "nettle, mandrake, and artemisia" 
  • applying wool soaked in milk to the navel
  • burying an egg and retrieving it later for consumption (Easter eggs?)
  • bathing to gain strength
  • certain months were considered better for conception (the paper cites April and October)

Overall, their understanding of fertility was focused on balancing the humors and complexions. They believed the womb could not be too hot or humid and many of the prescriptions were given for their drying properties. Many medicines are listed, however most of them do not include a list of ingredients. 

RE: Viewing the MS as a guide to conception and pregnancy - Koen G - 30-12-2025

My objection to doing OP's research for them is that the VM clearly has (in appearance) a much broader scope. It's got all the months. Too many plants. Much more than "take a bath". Much more than the one thing that vaguely has the shape of a modern textbook diagram of the uterus.. 

Also kind of feels like an LLM dump-and-run...