Double lobster

[Jorge_Stolfi]

The patterns on the tubs are more than just decoration. They correspond to patterns in armorial heraldry.

I see two problems with this theory. 

First, tubs only occur on the diagrams of Aries 1, Aries 2,  and Taurus 1, on the inner band of Taurus 2, and on the outer band of Pisces.  Horizontal "barrels" occur only on the the inner band of Pisces.  

From the (bad) quality of the nymphs' drawings, it would seem that the Artist started drawing the Zodiac with those five pages, in that order or some minor variation thereof.

If the tubs were not just decoration, why don't they occur also on the later diagrams? 

If they were just decoration, there is a plausible explanation.  The Artist drew tubs at first because he did not know (or dared) to draw decent full-body naked nymphs. When he got to Taurus 2 he finally learned that "art", although his nymphs were still rather ungainly.  Then he stopped drawing the tubs as they would have been an unnecessary waste of time.

(Actually I have You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. for why he used tubs for that purpose, but it does not make much difference.)

The second problem is that the patterns are rather simple. Mostly, the whole tub is covered in a single pattern of stripes, dots, circles etc.  They have none of the complex designs that we see in real coats-of-arms.  No halving or quartering, no rampant lions, towers etc.  And the tubs in Taurus 1 and 2 are all plain, undecorated (except one that is clearly BEEEPed).  That simplicity does not seem consistent with the claim that those designs are references to persons or families through their coats-of-arms.

All the best, --stolfi