There is something inherently human about writing. Civilization as we know it is impossible without a literate public. Basically, reading and writing are some of the things us humans do best. What if, however, there was something clearly written, but almost totally illegible?
The closest thing we have to such a mystery is the Voynich Manuscript, a mysterious journal from central Europe written around the 15th century. Its pages are covered in drawings of plants, astrological diagrams, and pregnant women. Until last year the text was considered largely indecipherable.
The book is divided into six chapters. There’s a chapter devoted to different plants, each page covered in an illustration and paragraph about some unknown herb. A chapter full of various astrological diagrams comes next, complete with a list of zodiac symbols. The third is a chapter full of women who appear to be pregnant wading in pools of water connected by tubes. Fourth is a series of circular drawings involving cosmological symbols, like strange text encircling a moon. Fifth is another section about medicinal herbs, this time seemingly focusing more on their use as medicine. Lastly comes a large index. This section is page after page of dense text, possibly formulas or recipes for some of the things listed in the book.
This strange and, frankly creepy, book has a long history to go with it. It was named after Wilfrid Voynich, the 20th-century book historian who spread the word about the strange book. What we know of the book indicates it was originally owned by Emperor Rudolph II of Germany. The book has changed hands many times through its life, however, belonging to everyone from famous astronomers to a Jesuit library.
That brings us to today. Last year, Canadian researchers and computer scientists worked together to make great strides in deciphering the text. The book is far from completely translated, but the team has identified it as a form of Hebrew, even reading the phrase from the opening sentence: “She made recommendations to the priest, man of the house and me and people.”
The general consensus is that the book is an old medical journal. Every source I found, however, added the caveat that the book is far from completely translated. Who knows what the later portions of the book contain? What strange recipes could be included in the last chapter? At the very least I am excited to read the backstory behind the strange illustrations that cover the book’s pages. If you are as intrigued as I am, archive.org has the entire book available to see.
*Note: This story ran Feb. 28
