28-03-2019, 09:13 PM
(28-03-2019, 02:33 PM)Helmut Winkler wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I think you have to distinguish two things, copy of content or copy of a piece of writing, Currier spoke of copying a given piece of writing by several scribes, which is certainly wrong, there is only one hand, plus one hand in the non Voynichese marginalia, which could still be te same scribe. I think the ms. comes from the first half of the 15th c., we have the C14 dating and script and style of the drawings fit into this time frame, the marginalia could be somewhat later. If the author copied content can't be decided before we know what the content is
Helmut, I must admit that you and JP are confusing me to no end. First of all, I see no distinction between the terms "copy of content" (content is what you see in the VMS) and "copy of a piece of writing" provided that the "writing" includes the drawings. I do not dispute that the "copy" was made in the early 15th century, per carbon dating.
I understand Currier's words to imply that multiple people participated in the writing of the VMS. Can you please point me to the professional opinion of paleographers and graphologists stating (with rationale provided) that the VMS was compiled by one person acting alone. Thanks.
For my part, I even suspect that multiple artists may have participated as I detect slight differences in artistic style (or talent) among the rosettes, swamp and large botanical depictions. Many have claimed that the drawings were made first, and afterwards a team of writers came along to fill in the script around (and evading contact with) those drawings.
A team effort, of course, negates theories about the mad scientist of northern Italy, 15th century, which is needed to explain how the VMS managed to evade all historical reference in an environment under the close scrutiny of the Inquisition. A team effort also tends to negate the hoax theories.
Let me clarify something: my theory does not rule out the possibility that the botanical pages (the bulk of the VMS) are an original creation of the early 15th century, that is, not a copy. It may be only the pure text pages (mainly quire 20) and the non-botanical drawings (but not necessarily their accompanying text) that date back to the 13th century.