Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[JustAnotherTheory]

or, if you believe it is encrypted, a change in the encryption algorithm

To the best of my (uneducated, naive) knowledge of 15th century encryption techniques, I would say that in the 1400s the best "algorithm" for encryption was monoalphabetic, therefore we cannot possibly imagine a group of people coming up with a CIA-unbreakable encryption algorithm at that time, let alone creatively changing the algorithm mid-manuscript in order to confuse potential readers.

However, if we allow a few more decades more for the creation of the manuscript, we already have many more interesting options, like Alberti disks (not much dissimilar from f57v) and other variations.

Would it be so far fetched so say, that we are wrong about the creation date of the VMS? A lot of evidence now points to this observation.

It could even be that forgers wanted to sell the manuscript to a rich collector like Rudolf II, after all there was a huge competition amongst rich owners of cabinets of curiosities, to show off who had the most unusual objects, the most curious impossibilities, I can imagine Rudolf II easily falling for something like this. All that needed to be done is forge a manuscript that seemed to contain arcana knowledge gathered from all over the scientific and superstitious spectrum of the time.

After all, in the VMS we have vessels that appear to very closely match 16th-17th century ivory vases (see my recent post in the Imagery section), especially from Rudolf's very own Kunstkammer collection, as well as evidence for plant grafting, i.e., the creation of hybrid or "Frankenstein" plants, a practice that appeared only in the 16th century, and which was in fact used in Rudolf II's own court to show "impossible plants" to curious invitees.

So many possibilities that point towards a later creation date than the carbon dating of the parchment. And let's not forget, before the carbon dating was announced, a large number of experts thought that the manuscript came from either the very end of the 15th century, or the 16th century.