[Other] The Voynich Garden

[R. Sale]

Understandably, you're currently otherwise occupied - no worries. Perhaps later, you might indicate, in addition to botany, if there are other areas of interest in VMS investigation regarding medieval culture of the C-14 relevant era.

The reason for this is found in several recent ninja discussions regarding the identification of VMs f46v. The upper part of the plant has been identified as costmary. However, the roots surely look like a pair of wings. Previously, these wings were given the heraldic interpretation as a representation of the eagle of the Holy Roman Empire. However, the HRE eagle has two heads and the VMs "eagle" has ho head, no legs, no claws, and no real tail. That's a problem.

Now it seems more likely that the wings should be given a religious interpretation as a representation of 'San Michael'. Saint Michael has wings and killed the devil. Saint George rides a horse and killed a dragon. But Saint Michael did more than that. Although it is more rarely depicted, Saint Michael was the "guide" for the souls of the dead - a psychopomp. Just one image here, holding scales.

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If the top part of VMs You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. is costmary, otherwise known as the 'Herb of the Virgin' [Mary], and if the bottom part is a representation of Saint Michael, as psychopomp, then this is the VMs botanical version of the Assumption of the Virgin, and medieval depictions confirm this association. This recognition joins with a small but growing number of "less than obvious" religious associations discovered in the VMs. In the 15th century, there was a continuing growth of Mariology.

Rediscovery of the cultural backstory, as depicted by the artist in the VMs illustration, confirms the plant ID.