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+--- Thread: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS (/thread-6031.html)
I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - JustAnotherTheory - 19-08-2026
As the title suggests, I'm not convinced by our current understanding of the VMS provenance timeline. I've had this feeling for a while now, but hadn't dared to share it.
I'm sure that at this point in the history of the VMS, certain events and letters are discussed as "facts", however I remain unconvinced. How is it that a 15th century manuscript divides so many medieval history experts to such a degree?
My main argument can be split into three points. I hope, despite the "well-established" provenance of the VMS, it will cast a doubt on you, too.
- None of the alleged previous owners of the VMS mentioned any of the peculiar aspects of the VMS. Baresch, Marci, Kircher talked about an unreadable manuscript with herbal and cosmological diagrams. But everybody failed to mention the hundreds of naked nymphs, though. One would think that this distinguishing feature of of the MS would be the first thing to mention in any correspondence. After all, no other MS exists with so many weird naked ladies. Why didn't anybody write: "Hey, help me decipher this manuscript with... 300 b*tt naked ladies from the 15th century". Let's face it, the VMS is not "only" a herbal. There are thousands of herbals. Not one has this many nymphs. Also, nobody mentioned the tubes and bathing scenes either. If I would describe the VMS to someone, especially an expert, there is no way I would leave those details out. Would you?
- Voynich himself noted the (faded) signature of Jacobus Tepenecz on the front page of the VMS. Yet nobody in the entire known history of the VMS mentioned anything about Tepenecz. For Baresch, Marci, Kircher and others, it would have been obvious that there is a famous signature on the front page. These were not laymen. These were experts. Yet nobody, for some reason, mentions that the personal herbalist of the mighty Holy Roman Emperor himself, Rudolf II, visibly signed the manuscript on the front page.
- Kircher's letter to Moretus in 1639 says that: "I can let you know that the other sheet which appeared to be written in the same unknown script is printed in the Illyrian language in the script commonly called St Jerome's". But Voynichese is nothing like Illyrian (Glagolitic) language. It is totally different, they don't even have the same characters. Either Kircher/Moretus are totally misunderstanding basic linguistic features, of which they are allegedly era-defining experts, or... they are talking about another MS. Not the Voynich MS.
In conclusion, I am not convinced by the currently understood provenance history of the VMS. Not a single link seems to indicate, unambiguously, that they are talking about the VMS. Crucial details are missing from each correspondence.
Are they talking about some other manuscript instead?
If you agree that 99 percent of manuscripts from the middle ages are lost today, then it is vastly more probable that these people are talking about another, lost MS, rather than the Voynich manuscript.
I think we need to revise the history of the VMS.
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - Koen G - 19-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - JustAnotherTheory - 19-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - nablator - 19-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - oshfdk - 19-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - rikforto - 20-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - DG97EEB - 20-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - Antonio García Jiménez - 20-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - JustAnotherTheory - 20-08-2026
RE: I am not convinced by the provenance history of the VMS - Antonio García Jiménez - 20-08-2026