Hidden notes of the VMs

[Searcher]

I am of the view that there are three, not two, “red weirdos” on page one of the ms. There are two clearly visible on the left hand side of the page, and another – badly mutilated – in the top right hand corner. They should be counted as a set and indeed a sequence. I take them to be alchemical rather than typographical (pillcrows or whatever) and they announce the theme of the work.

The first of them in the right corner cannot be reconstructed, but it appears like the other two in having “wings” and a base but with a crossbar through it.

I suggest it represents “corrupt water” or similar (eg. sediment) and that the other two show a process of purification, with the last representing the aqua vitae; although not in the sense of alcohol as aqua vitae as it appears in later alchemical works – there is every indication that the herbalism portrayed in the Voynich is a herbalism of water extraction, i.e. prior to the widespread use of alcohol as the preferred solvent.

I interpret the inscription in the very right top corner as "AR", as a supposition, maybe it means "aqua regis", but if I'm mistaken identifying  some strokes of the letters, it can be "AV" (joined in one sign) - "aqua vitae". As well, I'm not sure, but I seem to discern "X"-like symbol and "bird"-symbol just before "AR"/"AV".