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Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

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• Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

• Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  emanuele.pegorin > 6 hours ago

  Hello everyone,
  
  My name is Emanuele Pegorin, and I am an independent researcher with a strong interest in the Voynich Manuscript, particularly in its visual structure and internal logic.
  
  I would like to share some methodological and descriptive observations, without proposing textual “solutions” or decipherments.
  
  1. The manuscript appears to function as a graphic and operational modus operandi of a community of women working in the botanical field, including cultivation, processing, water management, and ritual purification.
  2. Images dominate the manuscript and are intentionally enlarged, distorted, and repetitive, suggesting that the communication was designed for a semi-literate or non-literate audience. Written text appears secondary, likely intended for supervisory or intermediary roles.
  3. Recurring structural principles are evident, such as centric–radial and centric–convex representations (e.g., foldouts f. 85v–86r), and hierarchical markers, like stars associated with figures and textual sections.
  4. In later sections, water basins, hydraulic systems, and drainage channels highlight maintenance and practical management, rather than symbolic or cosmological meaning. The presence of birds nesting or flying in channels signals critical points and operational tasks to be monitored.
  5. Jars appear as distinct functional items, each with specific shapes, decorations, and plant references, suggesting that they were intended for different uses or clients, and indicating an organized and diversified production system.
  
  These observations are interpretative and not conclusively provable, but they provide a visual and methodological framework to view the manuscript as a coherent system of work, roles, and ritual practices.
  
  I would be glad to receive any comments, insights, or suggestions on how to refine this image-centered analysis or integrate it with existing Voynich research.
  
  Thank you very much for your attention,
  Emanuele Pegorin

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  JoJo_Jost > 5 hours ago

  And you're sure that wasn't written by AI?

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  emanuele.pegorin > 5 hours ago

  Hi JoJo_Jost,
  
  thank you for your comment! I can assure you that these observations are entirely my own work, based on a detailed analysis of the manuscript’s visual and functional features. No AI was used in formulating them.
  
  I’m sharing these notes in the spirit of discussion and to see if others have noticed similar patterns, particularly regarding the centric–radial and centric–convex structures, hierarchical markers, and operational aspects documented in the folios.
  
  Best regards,
  Emanuele Pegorin

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  Typpi > 5 hours ago

  (6 hours ago)emanuele.pegorin Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.These observations are interpretative and not conclusively provable, but they provide a visual and methodological framework to view the manuscript as a coherent system of work, roles, and ritual practices.

  
  This sounds like blatant AI use lol.
  
  This is not X, its Y - most common AI trope.

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  emanuele.pegorin > 5 hours ago

  Hi Typpi,
  
  thanks for your comment! I can assure you this is entirely my own work. The structured and clear style is just my way of presenting observations so they are easier to follow. No AI was used — all the ideas come from my personal research and analysis of the Voynich Manuscript.
  
  Best,
  Emanuele

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  oshfdk > 4 hours ago

  (6 hours ago)emanuele.pegorin Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.2. Images dominate the manuscript and are intentionally enlarged, distorted, and repetitive, suggesting that the communication was designed for a semi-literate or non-literate audience. Written text appears secondary, likely intended for supervisory or intermediary roles.

  
  There is only one folio with an image and almost no text (65r), there are no image only folios at all and there are 30 folios full of Voynichese text with no images whatsoever (31 if  you don't consider the marginalia image on f66r). How is this huge number of text-only folios explained if the text secondary?

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  emanuele.pegorin > 4 hours ago

  The text, while secondary to the visual focus of the images, remains essential for a full understanding of the manuscript. The predominance of images serves to provide an immediate reference for those who may have been semi-literate or unable to fully read the writing, while the text elaborates and details what the images depict. Certain features, such as the recurring use of stars in some of the final folios, suggest that the text may incorporate an internal language within the community, likely accessible only to those who knew specific rules or codes.

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  Typpi > 4 hours ago

  (5 hours ago)emanuele.pegorin Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.—

  
  My mistake, you must just really love to em-dash ?

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  eggyk > 4 hours ago

  (4 hours ago)emanuele.pegorin Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.The text, while secondary to the visual focus of the images, remains essential for a full understanding of the manuscript. The predominance of images serves to provide an immediate reference for those who may have been semi-literate or unable to fully read the writing, while the text elaborates and details what the images depict. Certain features, such as the recurring use of stars in some of the final folios, suggest that the text may incorporate an internal language within the community, likely accessible only to those who knew specific rules or codes.

  
  How do you know that, considering we have no idea what the text says?

• RE: Observations on the Visual and Functional Structure of the Voynich Manuscript

  emanuele.pegorin > 3 hours ago

  I’m not questioning the text itself, since we don’t know what it says. I am only interpreting the images, and there are many of them—some pages are dominated by illustrations that occupy more than half the page. I’m simply trying to understand what the images might convey, offering my own personal interpretation, which is just that—my own humble perspective.
  
  Have you noticed in the image on f. 86v (part of the 85–86 foldout) how a centrico-convex perspective is used? I have my own interpretation of this image following that perspective.
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