The Voynich Manuscript is a roughly 250-page book written in an
entirely unknown language/writing system. It’s been carbon-dated back to
the 1400s and includes illustrations of plants that don’t resemble any
known species.
Named for the Polish book dealer who purchased it in
1912, it is believed to have been intended as a medical text. Its first
confirmed owner was Georg Baresch (1585–1662), an alchemist from Prague,
who discovered it “taking up space uselessly in his library.” Baresch
tried to investigate the manuscript’s origins, to no avail.
The manuscript changed hands for centuries until it was purchased by
Voynich, who posited that it was authored by Albertus Magnus (an
alchemist) or Roger Bacon (an early scientist).
However, some believe
that Voynich fabricated the manuscript and its history all by himself.
Various other hoaxes
have been proposed over the years.
Of course, that wouldn’t explain the
carbon-dating of the paper and ink. Centuries after its first (alleged)
discovery, the Voynich Manuscript remains as impenetrable and
inexplicable as ever
The Voynich Manuscript is an illustrated codex from the 15th century written in an unknown script called "Voynichese" that has defied all attempts at decipherment.
It contains hundreds of illustrations of strange plants, astrological or cosmological diagrams, and scenes of naked women in complex plumbing, leading to theories that it might be a herbal, an alchemy text, or something else entirely.
The manuscript is currently held at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University.
What the manuscript contains
Features hundreds of drawings of plants, many of which are composite or otherwise unidentifiable, accompanied by text.
Astronomical/Cosmological section:
Includes diagrams of celestial bodies, zodiac signs, and intricate circular charts.
Depicts naked women bathing in pools of green liquid, sometimes connected by channels, with some illustrations appearing to show the female reproductive system.
The final section consists of pages of text with stars in the margins but no illustrations.
The manuscript is written in a unique script with a set of 25-30 symbols that do not match any known alphabet.
Carbon dating of the vellum indicates it was created between 1404 and 1438 CE.
Italian Renaissance origin:
Stylistic analysis suggests a possible origin in Italy during the Renaissance.
The drawings of plants, stars, and bathing women are as confusing as the text, with no clear explanation of their purpose.
Theories about its purpose
The structure and illustrations suggest it could be a guide to medicinal plants or remedies.
The diagrams, particularly those showing tubes and vessels, have led some to believe it is an alchemical work.
The presence of zodiac signs points to a possible connection to astrology.
It may be written in a secret code or a lost language, but to date, no method has successfully deciphered it.
While it's a medieval object and not a modern forgery, the possibility of a complex hoax has not been definitively ruled out
