{"id":1755,"date":"2016-02-17T12:20:32","date_gmt":"2016-02-17T12:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/?p=1755"},"modified":"2016-02-17T16:28:27","modified_gmt":"2016-02-17T16:28:27","slug":"the-vm-zodiac-as-a-pictorial-cycle-a-comparative-analysis-by-marco-ponzi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/?p=1755","title":{"rendered":"The VM Zodiac as a pictorial cycle: a comparative analysis (by Marco Ponzi)"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m pleased to present a wonderful, insightful and detailed piece\u00c2\u00a0of work, again by Marco Ponzi, concerning the Voynich\u00c2\u00a0Manuscript’s\u00c2\u00a0Zodiac pages. Thanks Marco.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Parallels for the Voynich Zodiac as an Image Cycle (by Marco Ponzi)<\/b><\/p>\n

A few months ago, Johannes Klein<\/a> proposed a quantitative analysis of the Voynich zodiac illustrations based on a set of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153binary characters\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. This post describes the results of an attempt to put Johannes’ idea into practice. I would like to thank Darren Worley and Greta Zamparini who volunteered to proofread these notes and contributed with their helpful suggestions. I am also grateful to Stephen Bax for accepting to publish this post on his website.<\/p>\n

Here is the full spreadsheet.<\/a><\/p>\n

131 different zodiac cycles have been compared. Many of the sources analyzed have been originally pointed out by Darren Worley. Works mentioned by a number of other Voynich researchers have also been included: Stephen Bax, David Jackson, Diane O’Donovan, J.K. Petersen, Rupert Rideec, Thomas Spande (on Nick Pelling’s blog), Ellie Velinska, Rene Zandbergen. The comparison is based on a largely ad-hoc set of boolean (true\/false) features, including some of those originally proposed by Johannes, as well as some of those used on the Warburg Institute Iconographic Database<\/a> (also mentioned by Johannes).
\nThe objects that have been analyzed originate from places corresponding to 26 different modern nations: Afghanistan, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Egypt, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine. The most represented nations are Italy (23 zodiac cycles), Iran (21), France (20), Germany (16, 4 of which Hebraic). Most of the objects are manuscripts, but other media have been compared, including: stone sculptures, stained glasses, metalworks, mosaics, pottery, coins, tapestries.
\nMany of the objects date to the XV (30%), XIII (25%) and XIV (15%) Centuries. The average dating is 1300 ca.<\/p>\n

Binary Characters<\/b><\/p>\n

The following 20 binary characters have been considered (those that appear on the Warburg site are marked with a *):<\/p>\n

Pisces \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Cord: Two fish are present and they are joined mouth-to-mouth by a cord<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Aries \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Bush: A bush or small tree is present.<\/p>\n

Aries \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Grazing: The animal is grazing the plant.<\/p>\n

Taurus – Manger: The bull is eating from a cylindrical manger (or drinking from a cylindrical well or bucket). This is the only feature for which no matching image has been found.<\/p>\n

Gemini \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Male and Female:* Two persons of opposite sexes.<\/p>\n

Gemini \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Dressed:* The two persons are dressed.<\/p>\n

Gemini \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Embracing: The two persons are represented in an affectionate pose (embracing or holding hands).<\/p>\n

Cancer \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Double: Two crustaceans appear in the image.<\/p>\n

Cancer \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Lobster: The crustacean looks like a lobster, not like a crab.<\/p>\n

Leo \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Tail: The tail of the animal is between its legs.<\/p>\n

Leo \u00e2\u20ac\u201c No Mane: The lion has no or very little mane.<\/p>\n

Virgo \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Not winged:* The person representing Virgo is not winged.<\/p>\n

Virgo \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Standing: The person stands.<\/p>\n

Virgo \u00e2\u20ac\u201c No scythe: The person is not using a scythe.<\/p>\n

Virgo \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Spica:* The person holds an object (the Warburg site lists different variants)<\/p>\n

Libra \u00e2\u20ac\u201c No person:* Only a pair of scales.<\/p>\n

Scorpio \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Four legs: The represented animal has 4 legs.<\/p>\n

Scorpio \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Tail loop: The tail of the animal forms a loop.<\/p>\n

Sagittarius \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Human:* The subject is a person, not a centaur nor a half-centaur or satyr \uc601\uad11\uc758 \uae43\ubc1c \ub2e4\uc6b4\ub85c\ub4dc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sagittarius \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Crossbow: The person holds a crossbow (instead of the typical bow).
\nThe focus of this writing is limited to the iconography of the medallions, other important aspects of the Voynich zodiac cycle not discussed here include: the fact that the cycle begins with Pisces instead of the usual Aries or Aquarius; the meaning of the about 30 figures surrounding each sign; the fact that Aries and Taurus where apparently split into two separate pages.<\/p>\n

All the zodiac cycles have been compared simply on the basis of the number of matching binary features. Features that for whatever reason could not be determined have been excluded from the matching percentage.<\/p>\n

The Islamic tradition<\/b><\/p>\n

An extensive and well illustrated discussion of Islamic astrological imageries can be found in Following the Stars<\/a>, by Stefano Carboni, on the the Metropolitan Museum website.
\nA typical feature of Islamic cycles is that a personification of the planetary ruler is included in the image of each sign: so all signs include the image of one or more people. For instance, Aries is usually ridden by a warrior representing Mars. The same warrior appears in Scorpio, holding one or two scorpions.
\nOne of the Islamic cycles that can be better compared with the Voynich zodiac (since it does not include the above mentioned personifications) is the Horoscope of Prince Iskandar, Iran, 1411<\/a>. These are a few of the differences from the Voynich zodiac and similar European zodiacs:<\/p>\n

-Pisces: the two fish are curved and form a circle;<\/p>\n

-Gemini are represented as conjoined;<\/p>\n

-Cancer is represented as a crab, not as a lobster;<\/p>\n

-Virgo is represented as a kneeling man with a scythe;<\/p>\n

-Scorpio is represented by an actual scorpion;<\/p>\n

-Sagittarius is the classical centaur.<\/p>\n

\"iskandar\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many of the above features are shared by most Islamic zodiacs and actually make them more faithful to the classical tradition than Central European zodiacs of the middle ages. An exception to this is Virgo: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153for some reason,
\nthe name of the constellation, Al ‘Adhra (literally, “the
\nvirgin”), was not passed on to the corresponding sign
\nof the Zodiac. Instead, the sign was named after the
\nbrightest star of the constellation, sunbula, which means
\n‘ear [of corn]’. Consequently, when the astrological
\niconography was codified, the image of the virgin, a
\nfemale figure, gave way to the representation of a male,
\nevidently the Planetary Lord Mercury, who was shown
\nas a farmer slashing ears of corn with a crescent-shaped
\nscythe. This image became standard and was included
\nin all zodiacal cycles, while the female figure of the
\nconstellation of Virgo remained unchanged in astronomical treatises … The few exceptions to the rule that occurred
\nlater were probably influenced by European traditions\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i> (Carboni).<\/p>\n

The Voynich zodiac does not seem to conform to the typical iconography of Islamic zodiacs, but a few characters deviate from the European standard in a direction that could suggest an Eastern \/ Islamic influence, in particular the goat-like aspect of Aries (image from the Metropolitan Museum, engraved brass basin, Egypt or Syria, 1300 ca) and the figure of Leo (Walters Museum 54523, brass bucket, Iran, XII Century). However important and interesting those details, they can at most suggest a possible Eastern influence: the iconography of most of the signs is European.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"islam\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Ashkenazi tradition<\/b><\/p>\n

Since apparently the Voynich manuscript was produced in Central Europe or France but does not seem to be written in a European language, Hebrew works from Germany and nearby areas (a region called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ashkenaz\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the European Hebraic tradition) provide a relevant parallel. Ashkenazi Mahzorim (prayer books for the High Holidays) often include illustrations of the zodiac cycle. Most of the informations presented in this paragraph derive from this web page<\/a> by the Israel Museum of Jerusalem and The Mahzor as a Cosmological Calendar: The Zodiac Signs in Medieval Ashkenazi Context<\/a> by Sarit Shalev-Eyni.
\nAshkenazi zodiacs were amply influenced by the European iconographic tradition, so much so that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Torah binders made in honor of boys born in Nisan [correspondig to Aries] sometimes feature a lamb holding a banner. This image is evidently taken from a Christian model in which the Lamb of God holds a flag with a cross\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i> [Israel Museum].
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The set of medallions in the decoration program of the Ashkenazi mahzor was based on Latin calendars in Christian ritual books such as psalters, breviaries, and Books of Hours \ud38c\ud504\uc787\uc5c5 prex3 \ub2e4\uc6b4\ub85c\ub4dc<\/a>. These books usually open with a liturgical calendar containing a list of the Temporale feasts and the Days of the Saints (Sanctorale) in a cycle of twelve units representing the months and accompanied by a double system of medallions containing the zodiac signs and the labors of the months. The illustrators of the Ashkenazi mahzorim adopted the plan of the calendar with the zodiac signs and sometime also included another set of the labors of the months, which further stressed their origin in the Christian books. The affinity to the Christian medallions is also apparent in the iconographic design of some of the zodiac signs, such as the Lamb, the first zodiac sign in the Hebrew cycle, which is designed as a ram with round horns typical of the sign of Aries, or Virgo, that is depicted with a fleur de lis (or another flower), alluding to the Virgin Mary, as was common in Christian calendars\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i> [Sarit Shalev-Eyni].
\nIt seems likely that the author of the Voynich zodiac did something similar: he copied the zodiac sequence from a European manuscript to illustrate a text of non-European content and language.
\nWhile Ashkenazi zodiacs assimilated much of European iconography, they usually present features that make them recognizable as Hebrew and that never or very rarely appear in Christian calendars. For instance:<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Pisces illustrations include three or four fish instead of the usual two.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Aries has no horns (it is a lamb, not an adult animal).<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Gemini are represented with the heads of animals, to avoid depicting the human form. They sometimes hold a stick (a symbol of the head of the eclipse dragon, commonly found in Islamic zodiacs). In other cases, two men wearing the discriminatory headgear imposed on Jews are portrayed.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Cancer is depicted as a hybrid monster (Sarit Shalev-Eyni: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the phonetic similarity between Satan and Sartan -the Hebrew word for Crab- in this context probably contributed to the association between the two\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i>).<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Libra illustrations include the hand of God, emerging from a cloud to grasp the scales.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Sagittarius takes the form of a solitary bow, with neither person nor centaur. Sometimes only the arms and hands of the archer are represented.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"tilemahzor\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As can be seen from the above list, Ashkenazi zodiacs often considerably deviate from Christian zodiacs, but mostly in different directions from the anomalies present in the Voynich zodiac. For instance the Oppenheim Mahzor zodiac wheel<\/a> features a lobster as Scorpio, a monster as Cancer, Sagittarius without an archer. Gemini, Aries and Pisces also differ from typical European illustrations.
\nSometimes a Mahzor cycle contains only minor variations from the Central European tradition and the illustrations are not easily recognizable as related to a different culture. In these cases, the illustrations are closer to the Voynich cycle: Dresden ms A46a<\/a> matches half of the binary characters and is one of the best twenty matches.<\/p>\n

In analogy with the Ashkenazy tradition, the amount of deviation observed in the Voynich zodiac could well be explained as the interaction of two different cultures, one of which is the tradition of Central Europe or France. The present study cannot suggest any specific candidate for the second culture involved in the production of these images.<\/p>\n

Best matching Zodiac Cycles<\/b>
\nA. Heidelberg, ms Cod. Pal. Germ. 298, Bavaria, Germany, first half of the XV Century<\/a> (70% match)
\nThis manuscript from South Germany was found by Darren Worley, following a post by Ellie Velinska discussing a similar manuscript Adobe cc free download<\/a>. Cod. Pal. Germ. 298 comprises a number of different texts from different dates, the zodiac signs appear in the fourth section,<\/a> written in German. The description of the manuscript calls this section \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tierkreiszeichenlehre\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, i.e. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153an essay about the Zodiac signs\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.
\nB. Graz MS 286, Seckau, Austria, 1160-1170<\/a> (65% match)
\nA Latin breviary written in Seckau, near Graz. The zodiac medallions are drawn in brown and red ink and are not painted. They illustrate the twelve pages of the calendar in the initial pages. It is noteworthy that many of the elements that occur in the Voynich zodiac were already present in Central Europe cycles during the XII Century.
\nC. Soissons Stained glass window, France, XII-XIII Century<\/a> (60% match)
\nThis work has been repeatedly mentioned by Diane O’Donovan with reference to Voynich f73v (for instance here<\/a>).
\nThe zodiac stained glass window now in Soissons likely comes from the nearby town of Braine. It was moved to Soissons, reassembled and heavily restored in the XIX Century. The main area is occupied by the large figures of four ancestors of Christ. The figures are surrounded by twenty eight medallions, including the twelve signs of the zodiac. More details can be found in this French document<\/a>.
\nD. Strasbourg Cathedral reliefs, Alsace, France, 1280 ca<\/a> (60% match)
\nThe right portal of the facade of the Strasbourg Cathedral is flanked by twelve statues illustrating the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. The bases of the statues are decorated with reliefs depicting the signs of the zodiac and the labors of the months. Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, a historically German-speaking region.
\n\"map\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Other works mentioned below<\/b><\/p>\n

In addition to the best matching sources, some comparisons from other sources that provide interesting parallels for specific signs are proposed. Here those that are more frequently mentioned are listed (more are discussed with reference to specific zodiac signs).
\n* \u00c3\u2013sterreichische Nationalbibliothek cod. 1842, Wroclaw, Poland, 1400 ca<\/a> (80% match?)
\nThis work is discussed in the Crossbow Sagittarius page<\/a>. The manuscript is a Book of Hours (Horae canonicae in Polonia Scriptae<\/a>) and the zodiac illustrations appear in the context of a calendar. Since it was impossible to find images for most of the signs, the matching percentage is not as reliable as those of other works.
\n* St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 402: Roman Breviary, Switzerland, XIV Century<\/a> (53% match)
\nFrom the description at \u00e2\u20ac\u0153e-codices.unifr.ch\u00e2\u20ac\u009d: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Book of hours, composed for an unknown convent in the diocese of Basel: excellent example of early Gothic book art Security Onion<\/a>. With a Calendar, 14 miniatures of the life of Christ and Mary, the Psalter, Canticles and an All Saints’ Litany\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. The manuscript is written in Latin.
\n* Pierpont Morgan Library M 700, Du Bois hours, Oxford?, England, 1325-1330 ca<\/a> (47% match)
\nThis 1330 ca English manuscript is discussed by Olga Koseleff Gordon in her paper Two Unusual Calendar Cycles of the Fourteenth Century<\/a>. In that paper, the Zodiacal cycle is compared with a similar, less anomalous, one (MS M.511, from Bologna, also at the Pierpont Morgan). The greatest deviations from standard cycles in ms M.700 are: Aries (two goats instead of a ram); Taurus (entirely missing); Cancer (two crabs); the insertion between Libra and Scorpio of an image representing three goats (Capricorn is also included in the cycle in its usual position and form). The manuscript is written in Latin.
\n* Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal, lat. 1369, South Germany<\/a> (45% match)
\nThis 1444 manuscript has been pointed out in 1996 by Rene Zandbergen<\/a> as a relevant parallel for the Voynich zodiac.
\nIt is also discussed here<\/a>. Darren Worley writes that it contains a collection of different Arabic astrological texts translated into Latin. The zodiac signs appear in round medallions in seven pages devoted to the domiciles and detriments of the planets. The drawings are sketched in ink outline, lightly colored, with no gilding: the overall visual effect is close to that of the Voynich ms.
\n* St-Lazare church reliefs, Avallon, Burgundy, XII Century<\/a> (44% match)
\nThese stone reliefs appear, together with illustrations of the Labors of the Months, in the third archivolt above the central portal of the church. Their state of conservation in rather poor, yet most of the signs are still recognizable in some detail. This zodiac cycle has been mentioned by user Don of Tallahassee on www.voynich.ninja<\/a>.
\n* Berlin Staatsbibliothek, Regimen Sanitatis Ms. germ. Fol. 1191, Alsace (probably Strasbourg), France, 1450-1460<\/a> (42% match)
\nFrom the website description: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Heinrich von Laufenberg (circa 1390\u00e2\u20ac\u201c1460) was a cleric from the southwest German town of Freiburg. \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 His Regimen Sanitatis (Regimen of health) of 1429 is a medical-astronomical compendium of guidance to healthful living that stretches to more than 6,000 lines of metrical German. The work presents the reader with practical rules for healthy living concerning such matters as a balanced diet, phlebotomy (bloodletting, then a common treatment to prevent or cure illness), and ways to prevent the plague. The text reflects the contemporary scientific view that planetary configurations affect an individual\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s well-being\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.
\nThe manuscript<\/a> is written in German and was produced in Alsace. Zodiac signs appear in two distinct sequences, the first of the two is closer to the Voynich zodiac cycle, but Gemini, Virgo and Libra are missing.
\nThis work was pointed out by Darren Worley because of the presence of a Crossbow Sagittarius, so it provides an example of a Crossbow Sagittarius from a region that is now part of France. Another interesting feature of the illustrations is that one or two stars, suggestive of the origin of the zodiac signs as constellations, appear in some of the illustrations; their position is largely consistent with that of similar stars in the Voynic zodiac.
\n* BNF ms LAT 7351 Liber Albandini, XIV Century<\/a> (40% match)
\nThe relevance of this work for the Voynic zodiac has been pointed out by Ellie Velinska here<\/a> Praise free download<\/a>.
\nThe Liber Albandini is a Latin divination essay. The zodiac signs are depicted in full page illustrations starting with Aries on f37r. The manuscript was written in the XIV Century. The BNF site does not seem to provide any clear information about the place of origin but an unnumbered page at the end of the manuscript contains a long annotation in French in an ancient hand: I assume the manuscript was produced in France.<\/p>\n

DISCUSSION OF THE SINGLE ZODIAC SIGNS
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

Pisces
\n<\/b>
\nIt is anomalous that a zodiac cycle begins with Pisces. Aries is the standard astrological beginning of the zodiac cycle. In the context of a calendar, the first sign is usually Aquarius, corresponding to January. While the position of Pisces in the Voynich Zodiac is difficult to explain, the iconography of the sign is rather conventional, but for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the knot\u00e2\u20ac\u009d: the two fish are connected mouth-to-mouth by a cord. In the middle of the cord there is a star, which apparently corresponds to the prominent star Alrisha (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153the knot\u00e2\u20ac\u009d). The image is at variance with other examples which represent a mouth to mouth cord, but without the knot. In the Voynich image, the cord has been twisted, placing the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153knot\u00e2\u20ac\u009d at the top of the two fish, likely in order to make room for the large star and its Voynichese label. The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153knot\u00e2\u20ac\u009d usually appears in illustrations of the Pisces constellation, not of the zodiac sign. In the Pisces constellation, the cord connects the Pisces tail to tail and the two fish do not face in opposite directions, so the Voynich image does not wholly correspond to that tradition either. Possibly, the overall best match among the images presented below is the Soissons stained glass window. Graz ms 286 presents the smiling expression of the fish that was noted by Stolfi and Zandbergen<\/a> in their EVA transcription of the Voynich manuscript, but the Graz illustration does not include the cord joining the two fish. The Berlin Regimen Sanitatis includes two stars positioned similarly to those in the Voynich ms, but none of the two is connected with the cord.<\/p>\n

\"tile00pisces\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Aries<\/b><\/p>\n

The fact that in the Voynich Zodiac Aries is represented as a goat and not as the usual ram has been widely discussed (see for instance this 2004 post by Jorge Stolfi<\/a>). I was unable to find any satisfying parallel for the shape of the animal. Possibly, from this point of view, the most interesting one is the highly anomalous ms Morgan M.700. Aries from BnF ms Latin 7028 (Italy, XI Century) is also somehow goat-like and curiously its horns are decorated by a pattern of dots similar to that appearing in the Voynich ms.<\/p>\n

It has also been noted that the Aries \u00e2\u20ac\u0153goat\u00e2\u20ac\u009d seems to be grazing. Mary D’Imperio<\/a> wrote: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153An amusing matter for special note is the fact that the animal in each case [Aries and Taurus] is enjoying a meal: Aries is dining with evident relish on the leaves of a small shrub, and Taurus is applying himself with equal determination to the contents of a sort of manger or feedbox carefully and realistically placed at his disposal. These details, in my view, support a horticultural, medical, or agricultural context rather than a magical or mystical one (although this can be only an impression)\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Ewa Sniezynska-Stolot
\n<\/a>: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The genre scenes, eg. Aries eating a bush, suggest that the signs were redrawn from a calendar\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i>.
\nAries eating a bush is not uncommon; a possible explanation for this iconography is its derivation from illustrations of the Sacrifice of Isaac and the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ram caught in a thicket by his horns\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (Genesis, 22). European zodiac cycles provide several examples of grazing Aries, including some of the best matching sources presented in the following image.
\nThis biblical influence could appear also in some Hebraic sources, but I have been unable to find any examples \uce74\uc564\uc720 \ub2e4\uc6b4\ub85c\ub4dc<\/a>. Usually, in the Hebrew tradition, the zodiac sign is represented as a lamb, without the prominent horns that appear in the European tradition.<\/p>\n

\"tile01aries\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Taurus<\/b><\/p>\n

The bull seems to be eating from a cylindrical manger, or drinking from a cylindrical well or bucket. It has been impossible to find any parallel for this detail. I think this point deserves further investigation. Ewa Sniezynska-Stolot commented: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153From the astrological iconography point of view, the Taurus at a well is somewhat strange – unless an image of donkeys was a basis for it and then it would refer to Cancer – but that is certainly going too far\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i> (she seems to be thinking of the Praesepe<\/a> -the Manger- and Aselli -the donkeys- asterisms).
\nImages of Taurus grazing a bush (similarly to Aries) are the closest analogues I could collect: in zodiac cycles, these images often come coupled for both signs.<\/p>\n

\"tile02taurus\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Another somehow similar image is the Capricorn \/ Aquarius conflation that appears in Hebraic Mahzorim from Germany. In the Hebraic tradition, Aquarius is often represented as a well and\/or a bucket. In this typology, Capricorn is depicted as a goat drinking from the bucket.<\/p>\n

\"tilecapr\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Gemini<\/b><\/p>\n

Stephen recently published a page<\/a> in which Darren Worley presents various excellent parallels for this image. Please refer to that page for a discussion of this sign. The present quantitative analysis considers three distinct features for Gemini: the two people should be 1) dressed, 2) of different sexes, 3) embracing or holding hands. Of the best matching sources, the only one displaying all these three characters is Wien Cod. 1842 (Horae canonicae in Polonia Scriptae, Poland, 1400 ca).<\/p>\n

\"tile03gemini\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Cancer<\/b><\/p>\n

While the classical image of Cancer is a Crab, the variant that represents the sign as a Lobster or Crayfish is common in all Europe: it occurs in about 40% of the examined sources, never in non-European sources. On the other hand, the duplication of the sign of cancer is extremely rare. The better example is the English ms Morgan M.700. Ellie Velinska recently pointed out a manuscript presenting another example (BNF Lat 7352<\/a>) in which Cancer appears twice, once as a lobster and once as a crab. It is interesting that, in the Voynich manuscript, the two lobsters are joined by a cord identical to that appearing in most illustrations of Pisces. Duplication aside, some of the parallels considered provide good matches for the general shape of the crustaceans (the bifurcation of the lesser limbs, the three \u00e2\u20ac\u0153beaks\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in front of the head, the two specular semi-elliptical lines on the back).<\/p>\n

\"tile04cancer\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Leo<\/b><\/p>\n

A mane-less or almost mane-less lion appears in some European as well as non-European zodiac cycles. It has been suggested that Europeans images of this zodiac sign were sometimes inspired by cats (“Time in the Medieval World: Occupations of the Months and Signs of the Zodiac in the Index of Christian Art”, Colum Hourihane), since lions were not readily available to be used as models. According to Carboni, in Islamic art, Leo \u00e2\u20ac\u0153is depicted in profile, looking either right or left, in a walking posture or with one
\nforeleg raised in a heraldic stance. Its image tends to be
\nthat of a powerful, strong-bodied feline, with a large
\nhead, slightly open, menacing mouth, and a very long
\ntail that curves around the hind legs\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/i> This iconography is not exclusive to Islamic art and is also frequent in European art. Cod. Sang. 402 (Basel, Switzerland, XIV Century) provides a good parallel for the shape and posture of the animal \uc77c\ub9ac\uc544\ub4dc \ub2e4\uc6b4\ub85c\ub4dc<\/a>.
\nThe prominent triangular tongue of the lion is an uncommon detail worthy of further investigation (see for instance the above mentioned Persian bucket at the Walters museum<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"tile05leo\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Virgo<\/b><\/p>\n

The form in which Virgo is portrayed is very common: a standing woman holding an object (a star or flower, in this case) representing Spica, one of the brightest stars in the zodiac. Most classical sources present the figure as winged. As discussed above, in Islamic images, a person holding a scythe is usually represented. A common variant in medieval Central Europe represents the figure as sitting. Many good parallels for the Voynich image can be found. What varies the most is the kind of object representing Spica (an ear of wheat being the most common). A figure holding an object in each hand is also rather frequent. The woman represented in the illustrations often wears a crown or a garland. I saw no examples in which she wears a chaperone as in the Voynich illustration. The Strasbourg relief and Cod Pal Germ 298 are good parallels, but in the Strasbourg relief the object representing Spica was partly destroyed, and in the German Manuscript the woman holds a garland. In the Graz manuscript, the woman is not holding any object. In the images from Soissons and from the Polish Horae Cod. 1842 the woman is sitting.<\/p>\n

\"tile06virgo\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Libra<\/b><\/p>\n

The categories defined on the Warburg database make clear that the most significant variant in images of Libra is the absence or presence of a human figure holding the scales. The two variants seem to have coexisted in most regions of Europe. Of the best matching sources, the Polish Horae is the only one in which a person appears.<\/p>\n

\"tile07libra\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Scorpio<\/b><\/p>\n

The representation of Scorpio as a reptile or a fantastic animal is typical of Europe, with the exclusion of the Mediterranean regions (the only exception I am aware of is a mosaic in the Norman cathedral of Otranto in Apulia). Ellie Velinska and Darren Worley have recently posted a number of interesting parallels for the Voynich Scorpio (see here<\/a> and here<\/a>) including BNF ms Latin 7351, Liber Albandini, France, 1300-1399.
\nUser Don of Tallahassee has posted an excellent collection of lizard-like Scorpio images on www.voynich.ninja<\/a>: the collection includes the Avallon relief, possibly the best match I have seen so far. J.K.Petersen<\/a> has published a late but interesting French example (Morgan Book of Hours, MS G.1, Loire, France, 1475 ca). Some of the best matching sources from German speaking areas have similar four-legged animals (in particular Pal Germ 298 and the Graz manuscript) but the French sources seem to display a more consistent tradition in this case, with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lizards\u00e2\u20ac\u009d represented in profile. Don has noted that parallels also appear in England (e.g. the Canterbury Cathedral floor roundel<\/a>, XIII Century). The star that in the Voynich Scorpio is placed above the animal, linked to its mouth by a long \u00e2\u20ac\u0153tail\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, is the most peculiar feature of the illustration. The Berlin Regimen Sanitatis provides an interesting parallel: a single star in front of the mouth of the animal (see also Pisces above).<\/p>\n

\"tile08scorpio\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sagittarius<\/b><\/p>\n

Sagittarius is usually represented by a centaur gp5<\/a>. The fully human Sagittarius seems to be absent from late medieval cycles produced in Southern Europe: the exceptions to this are derived from Northern sources (such as Mantova ms Lat.209<\/a>, De Sphaera, Lombardy, 1470 ca, copied from Children of the Planets woodblocks<\/a> produced in Basel in 1430 ca).
\nThe Crossbow in Sagittarius images has been observed only in works from German-speaking areas.
\nFor further discussion of Sagittarius, please refer to this page<\/a>. J.K.Petersen<\/a> also discussed some of the images we presented, adding an interesting collection of images of fully human Sagittarii with a normal bow.<\/p>\n

\"tile09sagittarius\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/b><\/p>\n

All the best matching cycles (see list below) originate from Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and (possibly) Poland, with dates ranging from 1160 to 1450 ca. This evidence suggests that the Voynich zodiac cycle was copied from a source that was produced in Central Europe or in France, or by someone who was deeply familiar with works from that area. On the other hand, it is very unlikely that the Voynich zodiac medallions derive from an Italian or Spanish work (in particular, Scorpio and Sagittarius are represented differently in all Southern examples). It seems almost impossible that the Voynich cycle could derive from an Arabic or Persian zodiac.
\nThe Voynich zodiac can be seen as anomalous, because it contains a number of uncommon features, but almost all of those features appear in other medieval European works. Some of the anomalies could be explained as traces of an Eastern influence. It should also be noted that, even if astrological images usually followed a well established tradition, deviations as wide as those in the Voynic zodiac are known (for instance the above mentioned 1325 ca English ms Morgan M.700, discussed in Two Unusual Calendar Cycles of the Fourteenth Century<\/a> by Olga Koseleff Gordon).
\nZodiac signs that can seem extremely deviant at first glance (e.g. the lizard-like Scorpio) actually fit into a well documented European tradition. A recurring element that is typical of the Voynich zodiac and for which it was not possible to find a consistent parallel is the presence of large stars linked by curved lines (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153tails\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in Stolfi and Zandbergen’s terminology) to the main subject of the medallion. Such stars appear in Pisces, Virgo and Scorpio. Some zodiac cycles (e.g. Bodley Mahzor Opp. 161<\/a>; Berlin Ms. germ. Fol. 1191 Regimen Sanitatis<\/a>; British Library ms Harley 7182<\/a>) include one or two stars for each sign, possibly with the intention of marking the figures as having an astronomical\/astrological meaning, but none of the examined sources presents stars with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153tails\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

Further research<\/b><\/p>\n

Here are a few ideas for possible further research about the Voynich zodiac:
\n* There must be other zodiac cycles that could provide better matches than those presented here. Possibly, a 100% match does not exist, but 80 or 90% matches could likely be found somewhere.<\/p>\n

* The stars with tails are the most prominent and systematic deviation of the Voynich zodiac from all the inspected cycles. Sources with similar stars would be particularly valuable.<\/p>\n

* Parallels for the cylindrical well or manger next to the bull in Taurus would be of the greatest interest. It could also be useful to find examples for other details (e.g. the tongue of the lion) and zodiac cycles matching the costumes of the human figures: Gemini, Virgo and Sagittarius hamachi \ub2e4\uc6b4\ub85c\ub4dc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* Further research on English sources could provide better matches for that region. It is a geographic area that has not been investigated in depth.<\/p>\n

* If the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153grazing Aries\u00e2\u20ac\u009d actually originates from the biblical story of the Binding of Isaac, it should be possible to find examples of this iconography also in Jewish works.<\/p>\n

* It would be interesting to examine the complete zodiac cycle from ms Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien, cod. 1842 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Horae canonicae in Polonia Scriptae\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (I have been able to find images for only five of the signs).<\/p>\n

Sources<\/b><\/p>\n

Below is the complete list of the analyzed sources, with the corresponding percentage match with the Voynic zodiac. Links to on-line digital images and a few additional notes are provided in this Google spreadsheet<\/a>.
\n
\nOesterreichische Nationalbibliothek cod. 1842, Breslau (Wroclaw), Poland, 1385-1405<\/i> [80%]
\n
\nHeidelberg, ms Cod. Pal. Germ. 298, Bavaria, Germany, 1400-1450<\/i> [70%]
\n
\nGraz MS 286, Seckau, Austria, 1160-1170<\/i> [65%]
\n
\nSoissons Cathedral stained glass, Northern France, 1200 ca<\/i> [60%]
\n
\nStrasbourg Cathedral reliefs, Alsace, France, 1280 ca<\/i> [60%]
\n
\nHeidelberg, Cod. Pal. germ. 148, Biblia pauperum, S. Germany, 1430-1450<\/i> [55%]
\n
\nMorgan MS M.280, Augsburg, Germany, 1235-1250 ca<\/i> [55%]
\n
\nMorgan, MS G.73, Psalter, Franconia, Germany, 1250 ca<\/i> [55%]
\n
\nCod. Bodmer 30, South Germany, 1200 ca<\/i> [53%]
\n
\nCod. Sang. 402, Basel, Switzerland, 1300-1399<\/i> [53%]
\n
\nDeutscher Kalender, 2\u00c2\u00b0 Cod. ms. 578, S. Germany, 1474-5<\/i> [53%]
\n
\nCod. Pal. germ. 148, Bayern, Germany, 1430-1450<\/i> [50%]
\n
\nMahzor – ms Dresden A.46.a, South Germany, 1290<\/i> [50%]
\n
\nMs BSB Cgm 7269, Konstanz, Switzerland, 1463<\/i> [50%]
\n
\nNotre Dame de Paris, Portal of the Virgin reliefs, France, 1210-1229<\/i> [50%]
\n
\nNotre Dame de Paris, West Rose Window stained glass, France, 1220 ca<\/i> [50%]
\n
\nThurgau ms Y 24, Burgundian Breviary, France, 1400 ca<\/i> [50%]
\n
\nWalters Manuscript W.37, Book of Hours, Liege, Belgium, 1300-1310<\/i> [50%]
\n
\nMahzor Hungarian Academy of Sciences MS A 384, S. Germany, 1320 ca<\/i> [47%]
\n
\nKlau Library, sefer evronot [906], Germany, 1664<\/i> [47%]
\n
\nLund Astronomical Clock, Lund, Sweden, 1424 ca<\/i> [47%]
\n
\nMadrid INC 2729 (printed), Spain, 1492<\/i> [47%]
\n
\nMorgan MS M.700, Book of Hours, Oxford?, England, 1325-1330 ca<\/i> [47%]
\n
\nAstrol. Sammelhandschrift (Cod. 5327 Han), S.Germany, 1469?<\/i> [45%]
\n
\nRome, BAV, ms Pal lat. 1369, Astrological miscellany, S. Germany, 1444<\/i> [45%]
\n
\nTres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, France, 1412-16<\/i> [45%]
\n
\nWellcome Library, London, MS 49, Apocalypse, Germany, 1420-1430<\/i> [45%]
\n
\nSagra di San Michele, portal reliefs, Piedmont, Italy, 1100-1199 <\/i> [45%]
\n
\nSefer Evronot MS 2540, Central Europe, 1631<\/i> [44%]
\n
\nTrinity Chapel floor medallions, Canterbury, England, 1200-1299<\/i> [44%]
\n
\nEglise St-Lazare reliefs, Avallon, Burgundy, France, 1100-1199<\/i> [44%]
\n
\nNational Library of Medicine ms 9409277, Wonders of creation, Iran, 1537-1538<\/i> [43%]
\n
\nMantova ms Lat.209, De Sphaera, Lombardy, Italy, 1470 ca<\/i> [42%]
\n
\nBerlin Staatsbibliothek, Regimen Sanitatis Ms. germ. fol. 1191, Alsace, France, 1450-1460<\/i> [42%]
\n
\nAmiens Cathedral reliefs, Picardie, France, 1250 ca<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nBiblioth\u00c3\u00a8que de Rennes M\u00c3\u00a9tropole MS 1834, Bretagne, France, 1400-1450<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nBNF ms Latin 7351, Liber Albandini, France, 1300-1399<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nCambridge ms D 6, MRJ 81, England, 1250 ca<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nIatromathematisches Hausbuch, Pal.Germ 291, Bavaria, Germany, 1477<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nMadrid Ms 9267, Ludovici de Angulo De figura, Spain?, 1456<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nMissal, Getty Ms 34, Bologna, Italy, 1389-1404<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nMorgan Lib Ms M 103, Psalter, England, 1250 ca<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nRothschild Mahzor, JTS MS 8892 f5r, Florence, Italy, 1490<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nMorgan Book of Hours, MS G.1, Loire, France, 1475 ca<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nBritish Library, ms Arundel 60, Winchester, S. England, 1073 ca<\/i> [40%]
\n
\nMuseum of the History of Science, Astrolabeby Abd al-Karim, Egypt, 1227-1228<\/i> [38%]
\n
\nMorgan Library MS M.756, Cuerden psalter, Oxford, England, 1270 ca<\/i> [37%]
\n
\nOtranto Cathedral mosaics, Southern Italy, 1163-1165<\/i> [37%]
\n
\nFernando Gallego, ceiling of the Salamanca Library, Spain, 1486 ca<\/i> [36%]
\n
\nMet Museum, Brass Inkwell, Iran, 1200-1250<\/i> [36%]
\n
\nWooden Ceiling, Chodorow Synagogue, western Ukraine, 1651<\/i> [36%]
\n
\nBnF, ms Latin 7028, f.54, Italy, 1000-1099<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nBritish Library, ms Arundel 251, Germany, 1400-1499<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nMantua Astronomical Clock, Mantua, Italy, 1473<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nMetropolitan Museum, Al-Sufi ms Rogers Fund, 1913, Iran, 1450-1499<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nMs. Rh. 172, Aurora Consurgens, St. Gall, Switzerland, 1450 ca<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nPadua Salone fescos, Veneto, Italy, 1425-40<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nPierpont Morgan Library, MS M. 511, Calendar, Bologna, Italy, 1324-1328<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nPierpont Morgan Library, MS M. 75, Breviary, Paris, France, 1350 ca<\/i> [35%]
\n
\nS.Miniato marble floor, Florence, Italy, 1207 <\/i> [35%]
\n
\nHorae BNF NAL 3191, Poitiers, France, 1455-1460<\/i> [33%]
\n
\nRabano Mauro, De Universo manuscript, Montecassino, Italy, 1022-1035 <\/i> [33%]
\n
\nTempio Malatestiano reliefs, N. Italy, 1449-57<\/i> [33%]
\n
\nTrivulzio Tapestries, Lombardy, Italy, 1503-9<\/i> [33%]
\n
\nBNF ms Francais 9140, de proprietatibus rerum, Ahun, France, 1480<\/i> [33%]
\n
\nAstrological Manuscript, Georgia, 1200 ca<\/i> [32%]
\n
\nBeit Alpha Synagogue mosaic, Israel, 500-599<\/i> [32%]
\n
\nBodleian Library, Opp.161, Mahzor, Germany, 1342<\/i> [32%]
\n
\nBritish Museum, silver pen-box 1891,0623.5, Iran, 1281<\/i> [32%]
\n
\nMorgan Library, Almanac and calendar, MS M.941, England, 1433 <\/i> [32%]
\n
\nBasel F.III 15a, De Rerum Natura, Ireland, 800 ca<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nBNF Arabe 2583, Kit\u00c3\u00a2b al-Mawalid, Egypt, 1480 ca<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nBnF ms FR 135, France, 1400-1499<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nBNF ms Gr Cheat engine download<\/a>. 2243, Dynameron, Greece, 1339<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nCod. Sang. 827, Lake Constance, Switzerland, 1425ca<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nMorgan Lib MS M.785, Abu Ma’shar, Bruges, Belgium, 1402 ca<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nOS 1033, wood engravings, Basel, Switzerland, 1430<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nParis BNF, ms Latin 7330, Georgius Zothorus,Sicily, Italy, 1230 ca<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nRoyal 19 C.I, South. France, 1300-1325<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nGlasgow Univ. Lib. MS Hunter 229, Hunterain Psalter, England, 1170 ca<\/i> [30%]
\n
\nCircular seal with a zodiac, Afghanistan, 1150 ca<\/i> [29%]
\n
\nMetropolitan Museum, Stonepaste Bowl, Kashan, Iran, 1200-1299<\/i> [28%]
\n
\nSan Isidoro reliefs, Northern Spain, 1000-1099<\/i> [28%]
\n
\nMetropolitan Museum, engraved brass basin, Egypt or Syria, 1300 ca<\/i> [28%]
\n
\nMontecassino Cod. 132, Rabanus Maurus, De Rerum Naturis, S. Italy, 1032<\/i> [28%]
\n
\nWalters Museum 54523, brass bucket, Iran, 1100-1199<\/i> [27%]
\n
\nBNF 2754, “”Catalan Atlas””, Northern Spain, 1375<\/i> [26%]
\n
\nDodechedron, BNF Fr 14771, Southern France, 1301-1400<\/i> [26%]
\n
\nHoroscope of Prince Iskandar, Iran, 1411<\/i> [26%]
\n
\nLeiden Aratea, Lorraine, France, 830-840<\/i> [26%]
\n
\nMS. Bodl. Or. 133, Arabic, Iraq, 1390-1450<\/i> [26%]
\n
\nAlbumazar, British Library MS Sloane 3983, Netherlands, 1325-1375<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nAshmolean Museum, Jar with epigraphic band, EA1956.58, Iran, 1200-1250<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nBNF ms Arabe 5036, Al-Sufi, Samarqand, Uzbekistan, 1430-1440<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nBritish Museum, brass pen-box 1884,0704.85, Mosul, Iraq, 1230-1250<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nBronze Mirror, Louvre Museum, Seljuq, Iran, 1100-1199<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Akbar Shield, India, 1581<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nMetropolitan Museum, brass Ewer base, 91.1.530, Iran, 1200-1250<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nMichael of Rhodes, Venice, Italy, 1434<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nPierpont Morgan Library, MS. G.14, Book of Hours, Italy, 1475<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nTopkapi Sarayi Muzesi. Manuscript. H1703, Turkey, 1600 ca<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nVaso Vescovali, Herat, Iran, 1200 ca<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nWalters Ms. W.593, Wonders of creation, Turkey, 1500-1599<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nBNF ms Latin 7331, georgius zothorus, liber astrologiae, France, 1450 ca<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nWalters Museum 54.453, brass vase, Khorasan, Iran, 1200 ca<\/i> [25%]
\n
\nLouvre Museum, metal ewer OA 5548, Iran, 1200 ca <\/i> [23%]
\n
\nFountain reliefs, Perugia, Central Italy, 1275-8<\/i> [22%]
\n
\nBritish Library, ms Harley 7182, Ptolemy cartography, Florence, Italy, 1450-1475<\/i> [22%]
\n
\nBrooklyn Museum, Copper Jug (Mashraba), Khurasan, Iran, 1200 ca<\/i> [21%]
\n
\nAion Mosaic, Sentinum, Central Italy, 200-250<\/i> [21%]
\n
\nBerlin Zodiac Dish, Iran, 1563<\/i> [20%]
\n
\nMatenadaran MS 3884, Armenia, 1461-1478<\/i> [20%]
\n
\nMet Museum, Rogers Fund, Jajarmi ms, Isfahan, Iran, 1340<\/i> [20%]
\n
\nPhanes Greco-Roman relief, Rome?, Italy, 100-200<\/i> [20%]
\n
\nBAV Reg.lat.1283, Astromagia, Castile, Spain, 1276-84<\/i> [18%]
\n
\nSvetitskhoveli Cathedral frescos, Georgia, 1300-1700<\/i> [16%]
\n
\nThe Brooklin Museum, Divination Bowl, Iran, 1550 ca<\/i> [16%]
\n
\nVat. gr. 1291, Byzantine Ptolemy’s Handy Tables, Turkey, 820 ca<\/i> [16%]
\n
\nAlfonso X – Lapidario, Castile, Spain, 1270 ca<\/i> [15%]
\n
\nMet Museum 91.1.604, Brass inlaid tray, Egypt, 1300 ca<\/i> [14%]
\n
\nSotheby’s, brass jug, Mosul, Iraq, 1200-1250<\/i> [14%]
\n
\nMetropolitan Museum, Brass Ewer, 44.15, Khurasan, Iran, 1180-1210<\/i> [13%]
\n
\nProbota Monastery, fresco, Romania, 1532<\/i> [13%]
\n
\nVictoria & Albert Museum, divination bowl 779-1889, Iran, 1500-1599<\/i> [13%]
\n
\nWellcome Library, MS Persian 373, Iran, 1700 ca<\/i> [13%]
\n
\nMet Museum, Flask, Kashan, Iran, 1300-1350<\/i> [11%]
\n
\nBNF Latin 7272, Naples, Italy, 1325-1330<\/i> [11%]
\n
\nPadua Baptistry frescos, Veneto, Italy, 1375<\/i> [11%]
\n
\nJahangir coins, India, 1618-1625<\/i> [8%]
\n
\nVoronet Monastery, fresco, Romania, 1547<\/i> [7%]
\n
\nBardo Museum Roman Mosaic, Zaghouan, Tunisia, 200-299<\/i> [0%]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m pleased to present a wonderful, insightful and detailed piece\u00c2\u00a0of work, again by Marco Ponzi, concerning the Voynich\u00c2\u00a0Manuscript’s\u00c2\u00a0Zodiac pages. Thanks Marco.   Parallels for the Voynich Zodiac as an Image Cycle (by Marco Ponzi) A few months ago, Johannes Klein proposed a quantitative analysis of the Voynich zodiac illustrations based on a set of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153binary … <\/p>\n

Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,11,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-voynich","category-voynich-cosmology","category-voynich-zodiac"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1755"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1755\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1781,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1755\/revisions\/1781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbax.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}