JKP - that's very helpful, thanks! Even more so than I expected.
On your enhanced image I saw two things I hadn't noticed before - one mnemonic and one botanical. I edited the blogpost for a detailed analysis, but here's the gist of it:
Mnemonic:
I'll be short about mnemonics because I think most people don't care
On your image I got a relatively clear view of this region:
![[Image: wings.jpg?w=720]](https://herculeaf.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/wings.jpg?w=720)
I take the left figure to represent You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., a warrior who got turned into a Hawk by Apollo. I was certain about the beak and the shape of the head, but now I can also see that he's been given two little wings, like those of a bird taking flight. Cute.
The plant on the right represents his daughter Chione, who got shot in the mouth by one of Artemis' arrows. I first thought she has only one "arm", but on your image it's clear that the second arm, which is behind the fist one, is represented by a shadow. I haven't found any original depiction of this myth, but there's a 17th century painting by Poussin, which uses a pose very similar to the one I envision here: arrow in mouth, two arms to the front, one below the other.
![[Image: saff4.jpg?w=720&h=494]](https://herculeaf.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/saff4.jpg?w=720&h=494)
Now for the botanical aspect: I follow Diane in that the manuscript seems to focus more on trade and purchase than on medicine per se. I've also noticed that, when necessary, reference is made to the product as one would buy it, especially in the labels. Now obviously, you don't buy saffron flowers, you buy the threads.
There's a vertical object behind the plant's left-bottom root. I can see it a bit clearer now in your picture. These are saffron threads, the way one would buy them:
![[Image: detailsaffron.jpg?w=720]](https://herculeaf.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/detailsaffron.jpg?w=720)
Just compare: thicker knobs on top, thin lines going down and a tangle in the bottom. This detail was added as a reminder of the product's appearance.
On your enhanced image I saw two things I hadn't noticed before - one mnemonic and one botanical. I edited the blogpost for a detailed analysis, but here's the gist of it:
Mnemonic:
I'll be short about mnemonics because I think most people don't care
On your image I got a relatively clear view of this region:I take the left figure to represent You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., a warrior who got turned into a Hawk by Apollo. I was certain about the beak and the shape of the head, but now I can also see that he's been given two little wings, like those of a bird taking flight. Cute.
The plant on the right represents his daughter Chione, who got shot in the mouth by one of Artemis' arrows. I first thought she has only one "arm", but on your image it's clear that the second arm, which is behind the fist one, is represented by a shadow. I haven't found any original depiction of this myth, but there's a 17th century painting by Poussin, which uses a pose very similar to the one I envision here: arrow in mouth, two arms to the front, one below the other.
Now for the botanical aspect: I follow Diane in that the manuscript seems to focus more on trade and purchase than on medicine per se. I've also noticed that, when necessary, reference is made to the product as one would buy it, especially in the labels. Now obviously, you don't buy saffron flowers, you buy the threads.
There's a vertical object behind the plant's left-bottom root. I can see it a bit clearer now in your picture. These are saffron threads, the way one would buy them:
Just compare: thicker knobs on top, thin lines going down and a tangle in the bottom. This detail was added as a reminder of the product's appearance.