14-09-2026, 04:39 PM
We know that in some ciphers, dots and other symbols have served as counters for a single glyph in different versions, even though most of these are more recent. During my attempts at decipherment, I’ve repeatedly noticed the VMS’s high-order counting system.
Here’s one possible version—I don’t know if this has been done before like this:
Here’s how I picture it:
The Gallow K = 1 Loop / looks like a 1 turned to the left = 1
Gallow T = 2 Loops looks vaguely like a horizontal 2
Gallow P = 3 Loops with a lot of goodwill, it looks like a 3.
Gallow f = should have 4 loops, but instead it looks like a 4 turned to the left.
In short: we count up to 4. At similar positions in the slots, the following also appear:
ch = 5
sh = ch + macron = 6
ckh = 7 (sh + 1 Gallow),
cth = 8 (sh + 2 = 8)
cph = 9 (sh + 3) and
sfh = 10 (sh + 4)
Then the families:
the E families:
e=1
ee=2
eee = 3 (then continuing in Roman numerals, o = 6)
eeo =4
eo = 5
o = 6
oe = 7
oee = 8
oeee = 9
oo = 10
The aiin family
an = 1
ain = 2
aiin = 3
aiiin = 4
The oiin family
on = 1
oin = 2
oiin = 3
oiiin = 4
The “ar” family
ar = 1
air = 2
aiir = 3
aiiir = 4
It is interesting to note that the e family often ends in d, while the ai family often begins with d (!) (the oiin family is much smaller, but there exist the d in front, too).
Then there are the ar, al, or, and ol families; here, the counting seems to work through repetition: olol, arar
If we now leave out the vowel bridges (including “qo” and initial “o”), very few glyphs actually remain, along with scattered individual “i”s and others. Actually, mainly just the “s.” (I currently view “m” as an abbreviation for “aiin”).
Theory:
It’s very easy to imagine that these forms are nothing more than table entries. The Gallows and the ch/sh group are the rows, and the families are the columns. Of course, the numbers are in detail arbitrary.
Broadly speaking, if you add the 0th row—that is, without the Gallows and ch/sh groups—and interpret “d” as a switch for two different tables, this would result in about 500 to 900 fields, though not all of them are filled.
This is certainly one possible structure behind VMS.
Yes, I am aware that the identification of the Gallows and the families is, in part, highly interpretive. But fundamentally, the forms exist; the order in which they appear is an open question.
This is just a rough overview for now; in detail, it looks a bit more complex.
Here’s one possible version—I don’t know if this has been done before like this:
Here’s how I picture it:
The Gallow K = 1 Loop / looks like a 1 turned to the left = 1
Gallow T = 2 Loops looks vaguely like a horizontal 2
Gallow P = 3 Loops with a lot of goodwill, it looks like a 3.
Gallow f = should have 4 loops, but instead it looks like a 4 turned to the left.
In short: we count up to 4. At similar positions in the slots, the following also appear:
ch = 5
sh = ch + macron = 6
ckh = 7 (sh + 1 Gallow),
cth = 8 (sh + 2 = 8)
cph = 9 (sh + 3) and
sfh = 10 (sh + 4)
Then the families:
the E families:
e=1
ee=2
eee = 3 (then continuing in Roman numerals, o = 6)
eeo =4
eo = 5
o = 6
oe = 7
oee = 8
oeee = 9
oo = 10
The aiin family
an = 1
ain = 2
aiin = 3
aiiin = 4
The oiin family
on = 1
oin = 2
oiin = 3
oiiin = 4
The “ar” family
ar = 1
air = 2
aiir = 3
aiiir = 4
It is interesting to note that the e family often ends in d, while the ai family often begins with d (!) (the oiin family is much smaller, but there exist the d in front, too).
Then there are the ar, al, or, and ol families; here, the counting seems to work through repetition: olol, arar
If we now leave out the vowel bridges (including “qo” and initial “o”), very few glyphs actually remain, along with scattered individual “i”s and others. Actually, mainly just the “s.” (I currently view “m” as an abbreviation for “aiin”).
Theory:
It’s very easy to imagine that these forms are nothing more than table entries. The Gallows and the ch/sh group are the rows, and the families are the columns. Of course, the numbers are in detail arbitrary.
Broadly speaking, if you add the 0th row—that is, without the Gallows and ch/sh groups—and interpret “d” as a switch for two different tables, this would result in about 500 to 900 fields, though not all of them are filled.
This is certainly one possible structure behind VMS.
Yes, I am aware that the identification of the Gallows and the families is, in part, highly interpretive. But fundamentally, the forms exist; the order in which they appear is an open question.
This is just a rough overview for now; in detail, it looks a bit more complex.