Gallows Island

[Jorge_Stolfi]

Among other things, she spokes of the rare preference of two of the gallows in the first line of the paragraphs. There's no explanation for this behavior in a linguistic system.

The use of a different font or letter style on the first line of every paragraph seems to have been a habit of some scribes.  Here is an You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. from the 1300s or  early 1400s.  Here is You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.. 

The p and f gallows are most likely just calligraphic variants of t and k, or of some combinations like te and ke (it is still unclear which ones), that the Scribe could use on the first line of paragraphs or in words that were "important" for some reason.  Just as in English one uses capital Roman letters on titles, on the first word of each sentence, and on proper names.  And in German also for every noun.

Note that the "hooked arm" variants of p and f, which unfortunately are not distinguished in most transcriptions, may be distinct combinations than "unhooked" p and f.

Nor is there one for benched gallows, when we also see benches on both sides of the gallows.

Rene may correct me, but IIUC in the Thai script there are elements of a letter that may be added at the left of the main body, at the right of it, or inside it.  

And then there are schemes to indicate complex tones by digits like "y3a2o5" for "yao" with a "dipping" tone.

gallows that extend their arms, those strange stranddle gallows. What does this mean in a linguistic system?

Quite probably nothing.  Those elaborate gallows are almost surely decorative details added by the Scribe. 

All the best, --jorge