Three concentric rings of text (units "R1" through "R3", inner to outer), each bounded by a pair of faint, mechanically drawn circles.
Just outside the innermost ring of text there is a narrow band of abstract decoration (Greek-like meanders, notched strips, hatching, etc., and "notched square" motifs), delimited by another mechanical circle.
One can see a small portion (the Northwest quarter, mostly) of another mechanical circle, just inside the middle ring of text. This arc of circle appears to bound, and even clip, the "nymph" drawings inside it (see below).
In the centre of the diagram there are two fish, the top one facing West, the bootom one facing East. Each fish has a long, smooth, pointed snout (vaguely like a tapir's) and horizontal mouth (the top fish is smiling, the other is sad). The body is slender like a sturgeon's, with four rows of coarse scales. To the body are attached a triangular tail, pectoral and ventral fins (presumably paired), and two short dorsal fins (one just behind the head, one 2/3 of the way to the tailfin). The tailfin is lobed and divided into "feathers", like a bird's tail.
There is a seven-pointed star above the fish, with a Voynichese label (unit "C"); and another one below, unlabeled. Between the two fish there is a word in non-Voynich script, whose strokes seem thicker and more angular than the Voynichese label above.
Two thin threads connect the fishes' mouths to the top star. The threads merge just below the star, and connect to it between its two lower rays. Both threads run clockwise; the lower one passing below the fishes, thickens shortly after leaving the fish's mouth, and at its lowest point it sends off a branch that connects to the highest ray of the bottom star.
Between the inner and middle rings of text there is a broad band containing 10 human figures or "nymphs", each coming out of a horizontal cylinder. These cylinders look like sections of drainage pipe, with flanges at both ends (cf. f78r). All cylinders, except the one at 11 h00, open counterclockwise, and the nymphs face in the same direction. The nymphs have most of their legs inserted horizontally into the "pipes", but bend quite unnaturaly, bacwards or sideways, so that their torso is upright (i.e. radial, with the head outwards).
Between the middle and the outer text rings are 19 (not 20) nymphs. All are standing (radially, with the head outwards); all are in frontal view, or slightly turned towards the clockwise direction. Each of these nymphs is inside an upright barrel or basket, reaching up to her waist (with only a couple of exceptions). In proportion to the nymph, the barrel is about two feet wide, and has a "lip" a couple of inches wide. All barrels are decorated with various abstract patterns---stripes, hatchings, circles, waves, etc.. The base of the barrel is hidden by the text band. The four nymphs at the top, between 11 h00 and 01 h00 are smaller and more cramped than the rest (and so are their barrels).
All figures are naked, and seem to be female h all have (or may have) full breasts, and many have visible nipples. (But the inner nymph at 09 h00 seems to have nipples below her breasts.)
There is a star (or flower) next to each nymph, supported by a wire-like tail---sometimes straight, sometimes S-shaped. All inner nymphs except 10 h00, 09 h00, 08 h00 are holding their stars by the "tails". All other nymphs have their hands hidden inside the barrels, and the star tails are coming out of the containers or cylinders.
Each of the 29 figures is labeled with a ``word'' or phrase of Voynich text (text units "S1" and "S2", inner and outer bands). The spacing suggests the label is always placed at the right (i.e. clockwise) of the corresponding nymph.
The following table summarizes the nymph attributes. The "spos" column says whether the star is placed clockwise ("cw") or counterclockwise ("ccw") of the nymph; for inner nymphs that is also the direction where the tube is open. The "hold" column says whether the nymph is holding the star (by a ray, or by the tail if present). The "brst" column tells whether the nymph has visible female breasts.
band label place brst spos tail:old notes ----- ----- ----- ---- --- ---- ---- ---------------------- inner S1.1 11:30 ? cw no yes inner S1.2 00:15 ? ccw no yes right arm raised inner S1.3 01:30 ? ccw yes yes? inner S1.4 03:00 yes ccw yes yes inner S1.5 04:15 yes ccw yes yes inner S1.6 05:30 yes ccw no no inner S1.7 06:15 yes ccw no yes inner S1.8 07:30 ? ccw no ? on top of fold inner S1.9 09:00 yes ccw yes no nipples under breasts? inner S1.10 10:15 ? ccw yes no
outer S2.1 11:30 no cw yes no smaller outer S2.2 11:45 no cw yes no smaller outer S2.3 00:15 yes cw yes no smaller outer S2.4 00:30 yes cw yes no smaller outer S2.5 01:00 yes cw yes no outer S2.6 01:30 yes cw yes no outer S2.7 02:00 yes cw yes no outer S2.8 02:45 yes cw yes no outer S2.9 03:30 yes cw yes no outer S2.10 04:15 no cw yes no male? outer S2.11 04:45 yes cw yes no outer S2.12 05:30 yes cw yes no outer S2.13 06:30 yes cw yes no outer S2.14 07:00 no cw yes no outer S2.15 07:45 yes cw yes no outer S2.16 08:30 yes cw yes no outer S2.17 09:30 yes cw yes no outer S2.18 10:15 yes cw yes no outer S2.19 10:45 yes cw yes no
Comments:
STYLE AND LAYOUT
Although the nypmhs are a bit awkwards and deformed, it looks as if this drawing was done with more care than the other "Zodiac" diagrams. (However, this impression may be due simply to better preervation or reproduction.)
The fishes look quite realistic, except for the mouths.:owever they may:ave been "invented" rather than copied from real models.
The barrels in the outer group are not well drawn; the sides are neither parallel nor radial (i.e.vertical), especially in the one at 10:45. The perspective is not quite correct ---the top is tilted too much towards the viewer, and in four cases (05:30, 06:30, 10:15, 10:45) it is drawn as an eye, not an ellipse. The decoration:owever curves around the barrel, as it should.
It seems that the artist planned to add another band of decoration just inside the middle text ring.:e/she lightly sketched the inner bounding circle of that band, and carefully avoided it while drawing the inner nymphs from 08:00 to 01:00. (By the way, this explains why the nymph at 07:30:as:er face crammed against the fold.) But the nymphs from 01:00 to 08:00 overflowed that circle (perhaps because it was too faint in those parts), and the band was left undecorated.
From the kinks in the circles, and the appearance of figures and text near the fold, its seems that the fold was already present when the drawing was made.
THE FISH EMBLEM
The two fish are obviously the astrological symbol for Pisces, which is February 20th to March 20th.
Rene Zandbergen [23 Feb 96] reports seeing an illustration of the Pisces symbol [2] very similar to the center picture of f70v2, in anatomy and proportions.
Rene [14 Mar 1997] notes that whenever there are two things in a zodiac symbol (Cancer, Libra), or two copies of a diagram (Taurus, Aries), one is light and the other is dark; but pisces is an exception. (But "dark" and "light" may be just reproduction noise; we should look at the original colors.)
THE "MONTH NAME"
The word between the fish could be "(m|n)((a|ci)(v|r)|w)(c|g)" in Latin script, and is traditionally read "mars". Mars is French for March. The first letter resembles the last letter of <f116v.P.1> (the "michiton" line).
THE CENTRAL STARS
Don Latham [25 Apr 1997] notes that the star must be al-rischa (the rope-knot) from:is constellation atlas. [The label is "otolal" in the best transcription.] Rene [5 Jan 1998] reports howeer that "alrischa" is a late assignment.
Mark Sulla [26 Apr 1997] adds that
Hipparchos and Ptolemy called it "sundesmos ton ikhthuon" or "ton linon". Cicero et al called it "nodus", or "nodus caelestis" and "nodus piscium" Pliny called it the "commissura Piscium" The Almagest called it "nodus duorum filorum". The asterism of the threads was variously called "vincla", "alligamentum" "linteum" or "luteum".:evelius subdivided it into the "linum boream" and "austrinum". [1]
Rene [28 Apr 1997] observes:owever that the label need not be the name, it could be some indication of its position: X deg Y min.:e also notes that alrischa belongs with the *constellation* of Pisces, not the *sign*.
Rene [28 Apr 1997] suggests that Polaris would be a possible candidate for the star, on account of its distinguished position in the VMS. Don Latham [] objects, why should Polaris be in Pisces?
Denis Mardle [28 Apr 97] notes that "otolal" does not seem to occur in:is files, but "otalal" does occur on <f58r.11;F>, <f68v3.O.1;C>, <f70v2.R1.1;C>, <f71r.15A;K>, <f72v1.R3.1;C>, <f107r.22;F>.
THE TEXT RINGS
According to Denis Mardle [14 Mar 97], the nymphs in tubes suggest that the diagram should be read from the inside out. (Unfortunately most text unit:ave been numbered the other way...)
Denis also observes [14 Mar 97] that a line through the two stars in the center points 11:00, and goes through the only inner nymph who is facing clockwise. Stolfi [here] thinks that the odd nymph was reversed so as to face the 12:00 gap, and the 12:00 nymph (with oustretched arm), because that is the "important" place in that band.
THE NYMPHS
Stolfi [11 Aug 1998] observes that f70v2 seems to go against the general trend of the Zodiac section: as one goes from Aries to Sagittarius, the nymphs get progressivley less clothed and more exposed. So perhaps f70v2 was drawn after Aries.
Rene [14 Mar 1997] thinks that the nymphs coming out of tubes strongly suggest birth (whether it be a person or the cosmos). On the other:and, the disappearance of the barrels in subsequent diagrams may be simply a result of the artist becoming more:asty.
Rene [14 Mar 1997] suggests also that the nymphs in tubes could be linked with the alchemical concept of creation of a:omunculus.
NYMPH/STAR COUNT
This folio is exceptional in:aving only 29 nymphs and stars. Rene [8 May 1996] suggests that the star in the center may be the missing 30th star. (But then why not count the other central star, too?):e also mentions Pietro d'Abano, a 14th century occultist, in whose astrological system each sign was divided into 30 "faces" or parts.
Robert Firth [note 20] conjectures that the "29" was a mistake, and the number should:ave been "30", like all other "months". But that is the Pharaonic Egyptian calendar; why would anyone revive it?
Stolfi [here] thinks the artist:ad planned to draw 20 nymphs in the outer band, by drawing 4 small ones at the top, then 4 more in each of the four quadrants. This:e did in the first three quadrants, going clockwise; but then:e got confused (perhaps by the fold), and drew only 3 nymphs in the last quadrant, from 09:00 to 12:00.
THE STAR LABELS
Denis Mardle [27 Mar 97] notes that 16 of the star labels start with EVA "ok", 8 start with "ot", 2 start with "yt" --- and yet all are different.
Denis also notes that S1.13 and S1.14 both occur on Libra, f72v1. Robert Firth [note 07] observes similarities between the nymph labels on f72v2 and those in the Biological page f82v.
WHY PISCES?
Guy Thibault [4 Mar 1996] finds it strange that the VMS zodiac begins with Pisces, instead of Aries as is usual in astrology. Robert Firth [note 20] observes that the Egyptian year began in our July, with the:eliacal rising of Sirius.
Dan Moonhawk Alford [4 Mar 1996] and Adams Douglas [29 Apr 1997] note that Pisces is actually astronomically correct (and:as been for many centuries). But Robert asks --- why, alone of all works of Western astrology, is the Voynich Zodiac true to the stars?
Rayman Maleki [08 Sep 1997] says that a 15th century rebirth of astrology and medicine gave Pisces astrological control over the body. Pictures from this time often:ave a person standing firmly on the fish.:e mentions a drawing of an apothecary shop in Prague that:ad two fish as symbol on the sign.
Rayman [08 Sep 1997] suggests that, alternatively, Pisces may be the beginning of the planting year. Or the VMS may be a reading for someone born in Pisces. Rene [17 Jul 1998] proposes as a possible VMs author a certain George of Trebizond, who "had a firm belief in astrology and wrote that:is fated life was controlled by:is birth in the sign of Pisces." Moreover,:e was once jailed because of:is `libido'.
Glen Claston [25 Feb 1998] says that:e saw EVA "&169" used as a power seal symbol related to Pisces, in a book on:onorius in an occult shop, but the book gave no reference to its origin. (Honorius was 13th? century but all related symbols in the paperback were 14th century.)
Rene [21 Apr 1997] and Denis [24 Apr 97] mention a set of conjuntions of Saturn and Jupiter in 1464, 1524 and 1583 in Pisces; the 1524 was believed to announce a terrible deluge because of the watery sign.
ZODIAC, OR SOMETHING ELSE?
Guy Thibault [4 Mar 1996] suggests that the signs could stand for years in the life of an individual, and each nymph for a month; and that the "kings' and "queens" could be real:istorical people. The 9 nymphs in tubes of this picture could be the 9 months in the womb. Robert Firth [note 07] proposes a similar idea - that the "zodiac" is a list of "lucky" and "unlucky" days.
Rene [8 Mar 1996] takes up Guy's suggestion and estimates that the individual shoudl:ave been 25-30 years old at the time of writing, or died at that age. But there are 10, not 9 nymphs in horizontal tubes, so this period is more likely post-natal than pre-natal. As for kings and queens,:e mentions that Agrippa's sister became queen of Navarre...
References:
[1] "Star Names, their Lore and Meaning", Dover, Richard:inckley Allen, p. 342 (re: Al Rischa).
[2] "The:istory of private life", volume 2 of 5. The caption says "`La Manekine' which is in the Cambrai Library" (that should be Cambrai in France).
Paragraph: R3 panel f70v2, outer ring of text Last edited on 1998-12-09 18:15:14 by stolfi
"U" transcription by J. Stolfi from scanned image
Transcription starting at 10 o'clock, going clockwise}
1: okcheo dar otey ykeey t{fold}chy otsheo oteotey shey{crease} sheckh opcheol dair dateey sal ody choteey choeteedy oteoteotsho yteos alain sheodaly ckho aiin cholkal chotear oteody cholaiin oteeeo al ol sheeor okey{fold} chol dy otees cho r ol ar otoaiin oteeody sos todaiin chokain otalal otcham
Paragraph: S2 panel f70v2, outer ring of labels between stars Last edited on 1998-12-11 13:00:07 by stolfi
There really are 19 of them
"U" transcription by J. Stolfi from scanned image "V" transcription by John Grove "X" transcription by Denis V Mardle [28 Apr 97]
Transcribed clockwise from 11:30
11:30 1: oty
11:45 2: oky ody
00:15 3: oty or
00:30 4: okaly
01:00 5: otody
01:30 6: otald
02:00 7: otal dar
02:45 8: okody
03:30 9: opys am
04:15 10: chckhhy
04:45 11: otaly
05:30 12: otal !rar
06:30 13: otal dy
07:00 14: okeoly
07:45 15: oky!dy
08:30 16: okees
09:30 17: otalalg
10:15 18: okasy
10:45 19: otar!!{fold}
Paragraph: R2 panel f70v2, middle ring of text Last edited on 1998-12-09 18:14:35 by stolfi
"U" transcription by J. Stolfi from scanned image
Transcription starting at 11:15, going clockwise
1: chedaiin! otchy dair shchey daiin chalaly oteody chotol chedy oteatey otcheor ar alody daiir oteedar otchy tchy dal al cheoltey oteedy sheeteey s {fold}h*s keeol ykeeos shey okear ar a!r alos daim!!!!!dy otar am ar al otard{fold}
Paragraph: S1 panel f70v2, inner ring of labels between stars
Transcribed clockwise from 11:30
11:30 1: otar!al
00:15 2: otal!ar
01:30 3: otal!am
03:00 4: dolara!m!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
04:15 5: okaram
05:30 6: oteosal
06:15 7: sal!ols
07:30 8: okal!dal
09:00 9: ykolaiin
10:15 10: s!ar am
panel f70v2, inner ring of text Transcription starting at 9 o'clock, going clockwise 1: otal dlay oteoal dal aild!y otaiir ar oteey shal o qoteeal ar al otaiin al teodaiin oteeo cthey otchos oteos aiin d*iy
