Just sharing a possible way to reframe the VM - what if it's not a 'text' but an espionage tool?
There's a reason it defies linguistic analysis - like a Soviet numbers station, it relies on temporary keys for externally imposed meaning.
Think about it. The Holy Roman Empire or one of its constituent states needed spies, and few people could read or write. Memory was far more critical then as it is today - so the system it represents was ingeniously designed to enable even illiterate people to memorise, encode and transmit vast amounts of intelligence securely.
This would have allowed for widespread espionage in an age of low literacy, so anyone regardless of education level could reliably spy for the state.
I posit a three-part system:
(1)
Illustrations: Functioning as topical reference guides, forming mind maps and vivid memory aids to organise information visually and unambiguously.
Observe the resemblance of the plants to the modern pedagogical tool:
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The plumbing and human figures could well be organisational charts for mapping out the structure and management system of say, a church, a city or a village. Think Renaissance LinkedIn.
Astrological charts may have been used to denote periodic patterns or strategic timing. This explains why they don't map to reality; they're meant to be memorable and 'sticky' to viewers, yet encode information in specific ways.
(2)
Text: A set of code words with familiar linguistic properties that make them easy to recall under pressure, yet meaningless without external keys.
Consider the song "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (1972), which is gibberish yet follows English cues and so is easy to memorise. This explains its resemblance to natural language and following of Zipf's Law.
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(3)
Keys: The temporary and disposable assignment of meanings to the code words, ensuring operational security. There is therefore no 'sense' to be found in the text itself, and this explains the lack of punctuation and failure to 'decode' it.
Any written keys would have been memorised and destroyed, and any written references using a codename — thus explaining the Manuscript's uniqueness and lack of attestation.
Excerpts would have been copied for field use from this master volume, then used and destroyed on mission completion or periodically.
Crucially, this framework appears to satisfy all five of Lisa Fagin Davis' criteria (first principles, reprodicibility, accounting for linguistics and codicology,text that makes sense and integration with the illustrations).
More details on my Substack here: You are not allowed to view links.
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