Enlarged diagram on f68v2-f68v1?

[Jorge_Stolfi]

But what does Diagram 1 mean?

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From the point of view of medieval science, diagram 1 should represent a geocentric model. Indeed, the center shows a T-O map that can be compared to the Earth. The stars surrounding the Earth are the stars, and the blue cloud is the celestial sphere.

IIRC, that is a coincidence.  Note that this T-O map is anomalous: it has two quarters at top and a half-circle below.  I understand that it is not meant to be geographical, but religious.  Oresme's book is about the creation of the universe according to the Bible. That diagram would then illustrate Genesis I.6-12:

And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

 

The original elements in the VMS version of the drawing are the eight curved "roads" or "spiral arms" that connect the outer frame to either the edge of the "pool" inside the "cloud band" or to the core, alternatingly.

The VMS version of that cloud-band is all distorted, more an octagon than a circle.  I suppose that the Scribe drew the eight arms with the compass first, then drew the "fingers" of the cloud-band between the arms, without even thinking of getting them to lie on a common circle.

The VMS Scribe also apparently mis-understood the cloud-band and drew it as the sinuous ("nebuly") edge of either (1) a shallow pool where the stars are floating on, or (2) a thick board where the stars are attached to.  However, this mistake may have been made by the BEEEEP.

For a purely geometric analysis of that drawing, you may want to check You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..

All the best, stolfi.