Historical Context

[MarcoP]

The illustrations in the VM strongly suggest that it is a Turkic alchemical text -- note, NOT Turkish. The VM zodiac is a Hebrew Zodiac.

Both these statements contradict the analyses of experts in both alchemical and astrological iconography.

For alchemy:

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (1998) "The main 'alchemical' resonance is supposed to be the 'balneological' section, but here I find no parallels with alchemical manuscripts, except in a very general way. If this was an alchemical work one would expect to find some other alchemical manuscript with similar drawings - but I do not know of one."

Alain Touwaide ("Il manoscritto più misterioso, l'erbario Voynich", 2015) - The only similarity with alchemical texts mentioned here is the so-called "Alchemical Herbal", popular in Italy in the 15th century. Note that the Alchemical Herbal is only marginally about alchemy.

Jennifer Rampling ("Alchemical Traditions", in the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., 2016). I don't have the book with me, but IIRC she finds it impossible to link Voynich images with any specific alchemical tradition.

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For the zodiac, one can refer to You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., where the points of view of Ewa Sniezynska-Stolot and Dieter Blume are discussed. The zodiac cycle is certainly unique (as were many zodiac cycles of the time) but it can be connected with the late-medieval European tradition. At least one specific feature (the crossbow Sagittarius) is typical of German zodiacs and has not been found anywhere else.


Of course, everything is possible, but a confutation of the opinions of these eminent scholars will require a lot of solid evidence.