1 hour ago
(This post was last modified: 1 hour ago by JustAnotherTheory.)
So this is a rather strange proposition, and probably not much to do with the VMS, but I'll mention it anyway because it has several components that match some of its properties:
So, basically, in the early 15th century in a North Italian village called Montemonaco, something unusual was taking place. According to several eyewitness accounts, up in the nearby mountains, knights from several European countries were gathering to take place in an occult ritual nearby two lakes, at the opening of a cave called "the cave of the Queen Sibylla". They met under the cover of night, and consecrated several banned and alchemical books. It turns out that the villagers helped them, sheltered them, gave them food, because it meant additional income. When the Church got hold of these events, it excommunicated the entire village of Montemonaco.
One of the best first-hand eyewitness accounts comes from a certain Antoine de la Sale, who described the rituals in what is today the manuscript Chantilly MS 653 (link to online scans You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., although the website is down since the PHP issues 2 days ago).
It seems that the surroundings of Montemonaco have many "unknown" plants with special properties. Here is one, called the Chentofollie, directly from the Chatilly MS, compared to a plant in the Voynich MS:
Another plant, the Pollibastro, again totally unknown in traditional herbals, is featured in this MS:
I found no equivalent in the VMS. However, the name "Pollibastro" reminds me of one of the plant names in the obscure MS from Trinity College O2.48. Could there be a connection?
Now on to the nymphs. It seems that on this mountain, there is an entrance to a cave that houses the many nymphs of the Queen Sibylla, who enjoy bathing naked in nearby lakes. These lakes are quite interesting, because in wet season, they form one single lake, but in dry season, they from several:
It kind of looks like the lakes from the VMS Quire 13 that are connected to each other via a canal. The nymphs would traditionally come out of the caves, transform into serpents, and bathe in these lakes.
It is said that knights would come from as far as Spain to partake in rituals atop this mountain, venerating the nymphs and consecrating banned books. This is all documented in detail when the Inquisition literally excommunicated the entire village when they got wind of the rituals that were happening there.
_______________________________________________
Here is a scholarly article about this: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
The Wikipedia entry: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
- Unknown or fictional plants,
- A number of nymphs bathing inside and outside of a cave,
- Banned books,
- People of interest from different countries,
- Northern Italy.
So, basically, in the early 15th century in a North Italian village called Montemonaco, something unusual was taking place. According to several eyewitness accounts, up in the nearby mountains, knights from several European countries were gathering to take place in an occult ritual nearby two lakes, at the opening of a cave called "the cave of the Queen Sibylla". They met under the cover of night, and consecrated several banned and alchemical books. It turns out that the villagers helped them, sheltered them, gave them food, because it meant additional income. When the Church got hold of these events, it excommunicated the entire village of Montemonaco.
One of the best first-hand eyewitness accounts comes from a certain Antoine de la Sale, who described the rituals in what is today the manuscript Chantilly MS 653 (link to online scans You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., although the website is down since the PHP issues 2 days ago).
It seems that the surroundings of Montemonaco have many "unknown" plants with special properties. Here is one, called the Chentofollie, directly from the Chatilly MS, compared to a plant in the Voynich MS:
Another plant, the Pollibastro, again totally unknown in traditional herbals, is featured in this MS:
I found no equivalent in the VMS. However, the name "Pollibastro" reminds me of one of the plant names in the obscure MS from Trinity College O2.48. Could there be a connection?
Now on to the nymphs. It seems that on this mountain, there is an entrance to a cave that houses the many nymphs of the Queen Sibylla, who enjoy bathing naked in nearby lakes. These lakes are quite interesting, because in wet season, they form one single lake, but in dry season, they from several:
It kind of looks like the lakes from the VMS Quire 13 that are connected to each other via a canal. The nymphs would traditionally come out of the caves, transform into serpents, and bathe in these lakes.
It is said that knights would come from as far as Spain to partake in rituals atop this mountain, venerating the nymphs and consecrating banned books. This is all documented in detail when the Inquisition literally excommunicated the entire village when they got wind of the rituals that were happening there.
_______________________________________________
Here is a scholarly article about this: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
The Wikipedia entry: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
![[+]](https://www.voynich.ninja/images/collapse_collapsed.png)