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Scorpios
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RE: Scorpios
Aga Tentakulus > 21-01-2020, 12:14 AM
its the same Book
But it also tells me that I have to expect 2 languages
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RE: Scorpios
Koen G > 05-01-2025, 10:01 AM
What a strange creature. The 8 legs and the tail are there. Maybe influenced by the crowned locusts of Apocalypse art? -
RE: Scorpios
PeteClifford > 31-12-2025, 08:32 PM
I can’t believe any of the artists who drew these weird “scorpions” had ever seen an actual scorpion! The scribe responsible for the Voynich scorpion seems to have had one described to him/her, and knew it has a long tail that curves back on itself, but nobody seems to have mentioned how many legs it possesses!
And that in itself could be a clue perhaps? I'm not a naturalist/arachnologist, but I think I'm right in saying that (barring a few pockets of invasive species which are comparatively recent) their natural range in Europe extends as far north as Northern Italy and Switzerland, but no further. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Is this a hint that the scribe who drew the image came from somewhere to the north of the range in which scorpions are common? Just a thought, but it could perhaps be another clue that suggests the area around the Mediterranean is an unlikely location for the manuscript to have been created, and that possibly southern Germany is a more probable location than Italy? (I am thinking of Koen's excellent videos on the swallowtail merlons You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. and palaeography You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. that suggest the same thing).
Any thoughts? -
RE: Scorpios
zvijezda > 31-12-2025, 10:19 PM
(31-12-2025, 08:32 PM)PeteClifford Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.i can’t believe any of the artists who drew these weird “scorpions” had ever seen an actual scorpion! The scribe responsible for the Voynich scorpion seems to have had one described to him/her, and knew it has a long tail that curves back on itself, but nobody seems to have mentioned how many legs it possesses!
And that in itself could perhaps be a clue perhaps? I'm not a naturalist/arachnologist, but I think I'm right in saying that (barring a few pockets of invasive species which are comparatively recent) their natural range in Europe extends as far north as Northern Italy and Switzerland, but no further. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Is this a hint that the scribe who drew the image came from somewhere to the north of the range in which scorpions are common? Just a thought, but it could perhaps be another clue that suggests the area around the Mediterranean is an unlikely location for the manuscript to have been created, and that possibly southern Germany is a more probable location than Italy? (I am thinking of Koen's excellent videos on the swallowtail merlons You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. and palaeography You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. that suggest the same thing).
Any thoughts?
It seems that a four-legged mammalian or reptilian Scorpio is uncharacteristic of Italian manuscripts in the 15th century, although we must remember the depictions were not necessarily intended to be naturalistic and Scorpio can be represented by a range of symbols. Scorpio has been closely tied to death, poison, and malevolence since Babylonian times.
If the artist had indeed never seen a scorpion, the curved tail might come from interpretations of the constellation itself or from working off of other manuscripts (though I understand the Voynich scorpion is rather unique).
Here is a You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..
![[Image: https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.ama...6x965.jpeg]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!nomj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F39dc544a-4e3e-4102-b075-e5303d3cdcdf_736x965.jpeg)
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RE: Scorpios
Aga Tentakulus > 31-12-2025, 10:40 PM
It is indeed a dragon.
In the constellation, either Scorpio or Serpens.
Serpens means lintworm, and lintworm also means dragon.
No constellation can exist without the stars of the other.
The staff and the snake, also symbols of medicine.
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RE: Scorpios
Aga Tentakulus > 31-12-2025, 10:44 PM
Saint George fighting the dragon.
A joke by the monks.
Same meaning as lintworm. Snail. Dragon -
RE: Scorpios
zvijezda > 31-12-2025, 11:09 PM
(31-12-2025, 10:40 PM)Aga Tentakulus Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.It is indeed a dragon.
In the constellation, either Scorpio or Serpens.
Serpens means lintworm, and lintworm also means dragon.
No constellation can exist without the stars of the other.
The staff and the snake, also symbols of medicine.
Surely you mean "lindworm" and not "lintworm".
Either way, how do you figure serpens means lindworm? A lindworm is not explicitly a dragon, I cannot find any four-legged depictions of lindworms/wyverns.
And above all, how are you suggesting Serpens relates Scorpius? -
RE: Scorpios
Jorge_Stolfi > 31-12-2025, 11:13 PM
(31-12-2025, 08:32 PM)PeteClifford Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.i can’t believe any of the artists who drew these weird “scorpions” had ever seen an actual scorpion! ...
And that in itself could perhaps be a clue perhaps? ... their natural range in Europe extends as far north as Northern Italy and Switzerland, but no further. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Is this a hint that the scribe who drew the image came from somewhere to the north of the range in which scorpions are common? Just a thought, but it could perhaps be another clue that suggests the area around the Mediterranean is an unlikely location for the manuscript to have been created, and that possibly southern Germany is a more probable location than Italy?
Good point. According to Wikipedia, "Scorpions prefer areas where the temperature remains in the range of 11–40 °C, but may survive temperatures from well below freezing to desert heat." Their You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. apparently excludes most of Europe north of the Alps. But I suppose also the Alps themselves above a certain altitude. Thus a Scribe from Northern Italy does not seem to be completely excluded...
All the best, --stolfi
![[Image: Screenshot-2025-01-04-at-5-09-06-PM.png]](https://i.ibb.co/c2FLdTx/Screenshot-2025-01-04-at-5-09-06-PM.png)