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The reproduction of roots as healing objects
- The reproduction of roots as healing objects
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The reproduction of roots as healing objects
JoJo_Jost > 24-11-2025, 07:54 PM
Background: In my translation attempts, I have encountered the problem that, instead of recipes as expected, I find descriptions of the plant's vascular system on the herbal pages. I have considered this nonsense so far and questioned my translation matrix: However, I had only looked at the herbal text so far.
To check this, I concentrated on pages 88r to 102 because of the many roots. In my translation attempts, I came across replicas of plants on these pages (very speculative)
And then it dawned on me: the devices on these pages are attempts to combine and imitate the typical properties of several roots and other plant parts. Probably together with water, this is supposed to bundle and intensify the healing power.
The background to this could be a medieval concept of magic: images, figures, and illustrations are believed to have the same power as the actual thing. And this was already believed in the 12th century.
Let's look at some examples:
Here you can see that the roots of the device resemble the roots of the plant.
And here is another nice example:
Not only are the roots similar (blue circles), but this “cut-off” root representation is also adopted (red circles).
Here you can see the similarity between the device and the root depicted right next to it, with its delicate, branching structure:
But the shape of the root can also be recognized, as in this example, where both the shape and the root can be seen:
An other hint:
And yet another one of these devices that bears a strong resemblance to the shape of roots.
Conclusion: I see indications that the aim here was to imitate and condense nature in order to replicate the healing powers of plants, i.e., to directly imitate and probably also condense several plants.
This can also be applied to other parts of the VMS, but more on that later.
Okay, now you can pick me apart, or rather this theory. Have fun!
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RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
JoJo_Jost > 24-11-2025, 08:11 PM
Further, less clear, more speculative indications:
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RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
JoJo_Jost > 25-11-2025, 11:44 AM
Here it becomes clear how the “inventor” imagines the function: However, it is upside down here.
There appear to be two different devices, those that are permeable and those that are closed on one side.
And here you can see that he basically wants to build a plant's vascular system from root to flower using these tubes.
From the root to the flower.
I think some pages are missing, because on one page you can see a device that only corresponds to leaves. There should also be some that imitate flowers. You can see these flower parts on the pages with the women, usually above their heads. There is only one thing about flowers that I have noticed so far.
These flowers, once “real,” once a functional unit. The more you delve into it, the more evidence you find for the theory, especially since it actually makes sense in the context of the Middle Ages.
I know you think this is complete nonsense. But I would be careful, because it could explain everything.
Let's imagine that the author had the idea of condensing and replicating the healing powers of plants (as crazy as the idea may have been, people have always had crazy ideas).
What would he have to do? First, he would look for plants that were known to be medicinal. Then he would examine their vascular system. That's what he does in the Herba section.
In a second step, he would try to find out when the plants have the most “energy.” In other words, when which plants have the best effect as medicine. There are plants that should be harvested in the spring and others that should be harvested just before winter in order to obtain the highest concentration of active ingredients. This requires an astrological section.
He then describes the plant's vascular system as a generalized concept (this is the part about the nymphs, which I imagine represent the “amount” of healing energy).
Finally, he designs a system of tubes onto which he magically projects the properties of the plant parts (as I said, people at that time believed that this worked).
And then he writes a construction plan, specifying which tubes he wants to connect to which ones and how.
And there you have the entire Vonich manuscript. -
RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
oshfdk > 25-11-2025, 02:56 PM
(24-11-2025, 07:54 PM)JoJo_Jost Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Okay, now you can pick me apart, or rather this theory.
If all of this is confirmed by the text, there would be something to evaluate. Otherwise it is imaginative and maybe even novel interpretation of the Voynich Manuscript imagery, but I see no way to confirm or invalidate this so far. What would you like to discuss? -
RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
JoJo_Jost > 25-11-2025, 04:06 PM
Yes, I don't know, when I look at the other discussions here, there was always a reason or a conviction that was different.
But yes, it's just a theory, which, like so many others, must remain unproven until someone finds a translation, if there is one. But it's a completely different perspective on the matter. And in fact, something like this could also help to find a translation. Note the subjunctive... -
RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
JoJo_Jost > 25-11-2025, 09:51 PM
Okay, to further substantiate this theory, I need more evidence, which is why I noticed the Rosetta pages.
These look like cross-sections of plants/roots that show the plant's vascular system.
The only problem is that I wonder if this isn't an anachronism? The first early forms of microscopes weren't invented until the end of the 15th century. But I don't know what couldn't have been seen with a good magnifying glass, especially in roots. But I find the similarity between the cross-sections of plants and roots striking - what do u think?
Examples
Eine Wurzel:
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RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
Bluetoes101 > 25-11-2025, 10:24 PM
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RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
JoJo_Jost > 26-11-2025, 05:53 AM
(25-11-2025, 10:24 PM)Bluetoes101 Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I think we have to be careful with what things look like to us, and how it was meant to be seen and interpreted.
JKP plucks at some of the details on these here for example - You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Thanks for the link, Bluetoes. Interesting theories, and some rather far-fetched ones. But as we all know, as long as we don't have the text, anything is possible.
However, given the subject matter in connection with the depiction of water-bearing pipe systems (I mean the part with the nymphs) and the high similarity to cross-sections of plants, I consider this to be much more likely. And I'm sure I haven't found the right cross-sections of the plants here, just similar ones.
But one thing I do know: if you look at the fact that many puzzles that remained unsolved for a very long time were solved because someone didn't stay in the box, but thought in a completely new way. Voynich hasn't been solved for at least 100 years, so everything in the box has probably been tried, which means the solution must be found outside the box. In short: you don't have to be careful, but exactly the opposite. -
RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
JoJo_Jost > 26-11-2025, 06:58 AM
Off Topic: Since I don't see a general thread comparing plants from the Voynich manuscript with other plants (a link would be nice, if there is one), here is a plant that is nearly 100 percent recognizable, which I just happened to come across in the part where I work:
ivy: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. unten
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RE: The reproduction of roots as healing objects
Koen G > 26-11-2025, 09:02 AM
The two plants you post have different leaf shapes, neither of which is like the VM plant...