The Voynich Manuscript is a kind of authentic Codex Seraphinianus –– a 232-page illuminated manuscript entirely written in a secret script. It is filled with copious drawings of unidentified plants, herbal recipes of some sort, astrological diagrams, and many small human figures in strange plumbing-like contraptions. The script is unlike anything else in existence, but is written in a confident style, seemingly by someone who was very comfortable with it. Recent radio carbon dating has shown the document to be from the 15th century, making the book a century older than scholars had previously thought.
The first known owner was the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II during the late 1500s, eventually making its way to the rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich in 1912, who publicized the manuscript and leant it his name. A full history of the book's impressive ownership is here.
Is it an elaborate cypher? A medieval Henry Darger? A record of contact –– with extraterrestrials or a parallel universe? A hoax?
A PDF (not the best quality, but the best I have) is available for download below.
[The Voynich Manuscript (64MB)]
The first known owner was the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II during the late 1500s, eventually making its way to the rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich in 1912, who publicized the manuscript and leant it his name. A full history of the book's impressive ownership is here.
Is it an elaborate cypher? A medieval Henry Darger? A record of contact –– with extraterrestrials or a parallel universe? A hoax?
A PDF (not the best quality, but the best I have) is available for download below.
[The Voynich Manuscript (64MB)]
I'm gonna go with Medieval Darger. That's my favorite option.
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