[Article] The Voynich Manuscript, Dr Johannes Hartlieb and the Encipherment of Women’s Secrets

[MichelleL11]

What is your interpretation of the blue star-like image on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. and the image to the left?

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Hi, pjburkshire:

Keagan and I believe that the large symbol in the middle represents thunder (loud noise).  

This idea was first proposed by Ellie Velinska based on a similar symbol found in Hildegard von Bingen: Liber Scrivias; Universitätsbibilothek Heidelberg, Cod. Sal. X, 16.  You can follow this in summary in the following string on the board in 2018, which involves the work of many board members: 
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and more in depth in 2020 specifically seeking thunder imagery, again with many contributors: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

This is supported in our research because of a common medieval belief that thunder had a negative effect on fetus development and we believe it is likely this imagery refers to this.  Thus, we interpret the woman on the far right to have died due to miscarriage (also a common occurence in medieval times) that was "caused" by the thunder.

Please note that the other findings of this precise kind of symbol in contemporary manuscripts by both myself and many other members tended to be marginal symbols that appear to have solely a decorative purpose and thus a less likely parallel to what is seen in the Voynich, which appears to have meaning.

Thanks for your question.