No text, but a visual code

[-JKP-]

 These kinds of straddles, combined glyphs, and embellished scripts are found in Greek and Latin

 Decoratives scripts of course, but have you seen many big bridges between glyphs like those of the VM?

They are not only found in decorative scripts in the sense of calligraphy. They are also found in manuscripts on general subjects, and in legal documents. In fact, the gallows chars are more similar to Latin legal documents than other kinds of documents. The decorative superposition of glyphs is more common in Greek manuscripts.


And yes, I have seen bridges between characters and across characters. These were professional scribes. They were paid to write. They were genuinely interested in scripts and well-trained in abbreviations and ligatures. They were talented and some of them were creative. The elements that we find in the VMS may not have been super common, but they are all represented in works of the time.