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Hidden animals in the roots
- Hidden animals in the roots
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Hidden animals in the roots
Rafal > Yesterday, 12:16 PM
Forgive me if it was discussed before but I haven't seen a global thread about it, just some discussions about individual pictures.
Several times it was suggested that there are hidden animals and other creatures in the plant roots. Not in all roots but in several ones.
I browsed the manuscript and thought about it myself and came to this:
Of course there is such thing as pareidolia. Let's quote a classic philosopher:
“There is an universal tendency among mankind to conceive all beings like themselves, and to transfer to every object, those qualities, with which they are familiarly acquainted, and of which they are intimately conscious. We find human faces in the moon, armies in the clouds; and by a natural propensity, if not corrected by experience and reflection, ascribe malice or good- will to every thing, that hurts or pleases us.”
David Hume
So are these animals there or are these just quirks of our brains?
I will tell you my opinion. For me it's too much to be a random coincidence. These animals are real and intentional.
I am trying to make a poll to see your opinions.
And if there are animals indeed, what are the implications?
One quite obvious one to me is that the artist wasn't copying some herbal faithfully but rather freestyling and improvising.
Another one is that at least some plants are imaginary.
And there is a question - why was he doing it? Just for fun (entirely possible for me) or could there be something deeper behind it? -
RE: Hidden animals in the roots
Koen G > Yesterday, 12:51 PM
Regarding the poll, I don't think anyone denies that there are intentional animal shapes in the roots. I think that opinion is only possible when one is overcome by some kind of reactionary anti-pareidolia extremism
But there is a difference between the following statements:
- Some plant roots in the VM have intentional zoomorphic features. I expect a near-100% agreement to this.
- These particular roots have zoomorphic features. I'd expect a core set of non-controversial entries here, but the periphery of the list will vary from person to person. Examples are You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. and You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. from your list: not everyone will see these as intentional allusions to animals.
- These particular roots have zoomorphic features and these are the animals they allude to. Good luck finding common grounds on that one. Your centipede has a claw in front and a feline-style tail.
That's not to say we should remain completely agnostic about all of them. But more rigorous iconographical analysis and argumentation is required to surpass the "looks to me like..." level of pareidolia. - Some plant roots in the VM have intentional zoomorphic features. I expect a near-100% agreement to this.
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RE: Hidden animals in the roots
Rafal > Yesterday, 03:21 PM
Quote:Examples are You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. and You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. from your list: not everyone will see these as intentional allusions to animals.
I agree about 27v example, it is weak. The cockroach, or maybe another insect like some ant or bug, seems better to me:
![[Image: coptotermes-gestroi-termite-soldier.png?w=500&ssl=1]](https://i0.wp.com/entomologytoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/coptotermes-gestroi-termite-soldier.png?w=500&ssl=1)
The interesting thing about these "animals in the roots" is that they are so unobvious. Examples from other herbals are obvious. If a root of mandrake is supposed to look like a human then you have zero doubt that it is a human:
![[Image: be3a34bf-2cc6-4541-a0ba-398df68e0810_man...ect=&q=100]](https://images.prismic.io/wellcomecollection/be3a34bf-2cc6-4541-a0ba-398df68e0810_mandrakedog.jpg?w=420&auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=&q=100)
Do we have similar examples from other herbals that are so unobvious?
And do we have all suggestions for "symbolic roots" gathered somewhere in some place? -
RE: Hidden animals in the roots
Koen G > Yesterday, 04:01 PM
For the supposed Voynich mandrake, I'd say that at most it's based on the idea. But the plant is different and the man-ness of the root is tuned down. The number of appendages is correct for the male mandrake though... -
RE: Hidden animals in the roots
Bluetoes101 > Yesterday, 06:45 PM
To the main question - Yes, but I wouldn't agree with all the examples.. but in general, yes.
(Yesterday, 03:21 PM)Rafal Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Examples from other herbals are obvious. If a root of mandrake is supposed to look like a human then you have zero doubt that it is a human:
I always saw this one as a person.. maybe it's just me
There is also "sexy sideshow bob"
.. but on a more serious note You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (sideshow bob page) has a couple of human'ish inspirations I think. These look inspired by hands to me
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RE: Hidden animals in the roots
MarcoP > Yesterday, 08:20 PM
(Yesterday, 03:21 PM)Rafal Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Do we have similar examples from other herbals that are so unobvious?
Some examples from sources we discussed in the past.
These two are from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.. The first one is described as similar to a swallow (I think, "arundo" is a bizarre word which I take to be the same as the Italian "rondine"), the second one as similar to a scorpion.
These are different versions of Bryonia from various copies of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (a little later than the VMS).
A root from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..
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RE: Hidden animals in the roots
Koen G > Yesterday, 08:56 PM
The "technique" often feels very similar as well: the VM artist certainly wasn't doing this kind of thing in isolation.
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RE: Hidden animals in the roots
R. Sale > Yesterday, 09:39 PM
VMs ambiguity promotes pareidolia. The lack of artistic skills well used.