It certainly appears that it is the intent of the plant section to give the strong impression of an herbal. However, there are also the points that Aga T. made about "sketchy verbal descriptions". And at the same time this great lack of precision is combined with "fanciful distinguishing embellishments" supposedly used to make identification possible. The identification of the various VMs illustrations ranges form fairly easy to very difficult (and beyond) - even for those well acquainted with botany, which I am not. The appearance is that of an herbal that originated in a culture which the reader in the 15th century would not have previously encountered. The reality is that there was never such a culture or civilization, but in the time of the VMs, such a fact could not be known.
Of course, this appearance functions in combinations with the written VMs twxt. The VMs text also give the impression of being a written language - at least to some extent. It's not like certain types of encryption systems where the design of the individual glyphs is such that the text produced is an obvious candidate for the presence of a hidden communication system. Whereas the initial rule for a good system of encryption, according to Roger Bacon, is to disguise the presence of any encryption in the first place, - to look like a normal text, though perhaps in a unknown 'foreign' language.
Compound plant images may be part of the VMs, as compound images seem to also be present in other illustrations as well. In my view, however, botanical investigations have not been shown to be very informative. Even a potentially valid plant identification reveals nothing beyond itself. Meanwhile cosmic, heraldic, religious, even mythical research has revealed specific historical connections that are compatible with traditions, knowledge and events in the first half of the 1400s.
Isn't one of the first criteria for a successful investigation the capacity to differentiate between what is useful and relevant, and what is not? If the VMs was intended to convey hidden information, it is not reasonable to expect to find that information plainly available on each and every page. Not all pages need to possess essential or relevant information. Indeed such pages can serve as a disguise for what has been hidden. The more effort spent looking in the wrong place, the more successful the deception.
At the same time, there may not be a *right* place to look, either. More complex clues may lead to more complex investigations, but there is no guarantee of useful or 'valid' result. The VMs puzzle may not have had a specific solution, as such, or essential information may be lost on missing pages. The best procedure is to identify and follow the most likely prospects. Gold is where you find it. And when you find it, dig a bit further.
Of course, this appearance functions in combinations with the written VMs twxt. The VMs text also give the impression of being a written language - at least to some extent. It's not like certain types of encryption systems where the design of the individual glyphs is such that the text produced is an obvious candidate for the presence of a hidden communication system. Whereas the initial rule for a good system of encryption, according to Roger Bacon, is to disguise the presence of any encryption in the first place, - to look like a normal text, though perhaps in a unknown 'foreign' language.
Compound plant images may be part of the VMs, as compound images seem to also be present in other illustrations as well. In my view, however, botanical investigations have not been shown to be very informative. Even a potentially valid plant identification reveals nothing beyond itself. Meanwhile cosmic, heraldic, religious, even mythical research has revealed specific historical connections that are compatible with traditions, knowledge and events in the first half of the 1400s.
Isn't one of the first criteria for a successful investigation the capacity to differentiate between what is useful and relevant, and what is not? If the VMs was intended to convey hidden information, it is not reasonable to expect to find that information plainly available on each and every page. Not all pages need to possess essential or relevant information. Indeed such pages can serve as a disguise for what has been hidden. The more effort spent looking in the wrong place, the more successful the deception.
At the same time, there may not be a *right* place to look, either. More complex clues may lead to more complex investigations, but there is no guarantee of useful or 'valid' result. The VMs puzzle may not have had a specific solution, as such, or essential information may be lost on missing pages. The best procedure is to identify and follow the most likely prospects. Gold is where you find it. And when you find it, dig a bit further.