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Voynich MS - Quire 9

Description

Quire 9 contains one bifolio composing folios 67 and 68, both folding out to contain several panels with text and illustations. A small strip of parchment has been sewn in in addition. The gathering mark, unusually, is on f67r1. The reason for this appears to be that this bifolio has been bound incorrectly into the manuscript, after the quire number was written (further detailed below).

Schematic folio layout:

Folio 67

Foldout folio. The folio number is on f67r1.

f67r1  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 67r1 and 67r2 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 67r1 and 67r2 from left to right.

General description

This is an astronomical page. For general information about astronomical pages see here.

The folio nr. (67) is near the upper right corner, just to the left of an erased older folio nr., which cnnot be read convincingly but could be either 62 or 67. The gathering mark (9n9) in the lower right corner.

Illustration(s)

In the centre of the large circular illustration is a moon with a face and crescents on either side. Outside that is a 12-pointed star with red, blue and white segment with small stars drawn in the white segments. Outside that, but inside the circular text, are radiating patterns, two for each of the 12 star points, one with writing and one with one or two larger stars.

Text

At the top, above the drawing, are four lines of text in a single paragraph.

As part of the illustration there are three circular bands of text on the outside of the drawing. Inside that are twelve words or word pairs along radii of the circles.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f67r1

Other information

 

  f67r2  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 67r1 and 67r2 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 67r1 and 67r2 from left to right.

General description

This is an astronomical page. For general information about astronomical pages see here.

Illustration(s)

This is a large circular illustration with a small circule in the centre, and twelve segments outside that. In the centre is an 8-pointed star with clouds, with a short sentence written around it. Each of the segments has, from outside to inside, a word or words written in red ink, a short paragraph of text and a small moon face either in red or faint yellow.

Text

There are three lines of writing in a single paragraph at the bottom of the page. The second line of this is written in red ink, and the paragraph has been ruled.

The writing in the outer band is a short group of words for each segment in red ink, then a short paragraph in each of the twelve segments. In seven of the twelve, one word is standing a bit in isolation. There are additional words below the moon faces in each segment, and a shot piece of circular text inside that.

Both the ruling and the use of red ink are only found on this page, and are unique for the MS.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f67r2

Other information

Similar illustrations are quite common in other manuscripts. Invariably, the twelve segments represent either the 12 signs of the zodiac or the twelve months of the year. The seven more or less separate words are very suggestive, and could represent the seven planets.

  f67v2  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 67v2 and 67v1 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 67v2 and 67v1 from left to right.

General description

This is a so-called cosmological page. For general information about cosmological pages see here.

Illustration(s)

There is one large circle centred on the page and 4 smaller circles in the four (NE, SE, SW and NW) corners. In the centre of the large circle is a green square with a circular hole and a star or sun with spiralling rays. From the square, 4 lines radiate out in the N, S, E and W directions. Four lines come in towards the square from the perimeter of the large circle in the NE, NW, SE and SW direction. These appear to be continued with similar lines in the 4 small circles. Each of the eight lines are terminated with a branching broccoli-like structure. The small circles in the corners contain between three and four human faces, joined by lines. Only the one in the SW corner has been painted in red, blue and green.

Text

Text has been written along each of the eight radiating lines. There are also sentences of Voynich text above, below, to the left and the right of the large circle.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f67v2

Other information

 

  f67v1

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 67v2 and 67v1 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 67v2 and 67v1 from left to right.

General description

This is an astronomical page. For general information about astronomical pages see here.

Illustration(s)

This is a large circular design with a sun face in the middle with wavy rays. The circle is subdivided into 17 segments by lines of writing, and each segment has 1, 2 or 3 stars. In total three stars are painted blue. All others are faint yellow. There are patterns along the outer perimeter.

Text

There are 12 words or word pairs written along the perimeter of the outer circle. There are 17 lines of text radiating out from the centre of the circle.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f67v1

Other information

 

Folio 68

Three-way foldout folio. The folio nr. is on f68v2.

f68r1  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 68r1, 68r2 and 68r3 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 68r1, 68r2, 68r3 from left to right.

General description

This is an astronomical page. For general information about astronomical pages see here.

Illustration(s)

Near the top is a sun face with small rays, and near the bottom a moon face. In between are scattered 29 stars each with a label.

Text

There are four lines of text at the top of the page, in a single paragraph. The fourth line consists of just two words.

There are 29 labels, one near each of the stars. There are three words near the sun, and a piece of circular text around the moon.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f68r1

Other information

 

  f68r2  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 68r1, 68r2 and 68r3 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 68r1, 68r2, 68r3 from left to right.

General description

This is an astronomical page. For general information about astronomical pages see here.

Illustration(s)

Near the top is a moon face and near the bottom a sun face with small rays painted blue. There is a large circle of unlabeled stars connecting sun and moon. Inside this circle are 24 scattered stars each with a label.

Text

There are five lines of text at the top of the page, in a single paragraph. The fifth line ends with a 'signature' or 'title.

There are 24 labels, one near each of the stars. There are two pieces of circular text, one around the moon and one around the sun.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f68r2

Other information

 

  f68r3  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 68r1, 68r2 and 68r3 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 68r1, 68r2, 68r3 from left to right.

General description

This is an astronomical page. For general information about astronomical pages see here.
The page is basically square and has an additional fold.

Illustration(s)

A large circular drawing, oulined by a piece of circular text. in the centre is a moon face. There are 8 radiating spokes dividing the circle into 8 segments. These are alternatively filled with many small stars, or a few somewhat larer stars with labels. In the upper left segment there is an additinal group of 7 small stars with a label, and a curved line connecting it to the moon.

Text

There is a long circular text on the outside and a short circular text around the moon face. There are 8 lines of text along radii of the circle (the above-mentioned spokes). There are 12 labels. Ten are star labels, one belongs to the small group of seven stars and one to the connecting line.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f68r3

Other information

There is a strong suggestion that the group of seven stars represents the Pleiades. The line connecting it to the moon could represent some celestial event involving the Pleiades and the moon. The label near the seven stars is a popular crib.

  f68v3  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 68v3, 68v2 and 68v1 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 68v3, 68v2, 68v1 from left to right.

General description

This is a so-called cosmological page. For general information about cosmological pages see here.
The page is basically square and has an additional fold.

Illustration(s)

This large circular drawing has a ring of text on the outside and a T-O map in the centre. There are eight bands with lines of writing inside, spiralling in from the outside circle to the T-O map. Approximately halfway between the T-O map and the large circle is a boundary drawn as a wavy line, also known as 'nebuly' or 'Wolkenband'. The area between the T-O map and this boundary is painted blue and has a number of stars painted yellow.

Text

There are four lines of text in a single paragraph, at the top of the page.

There is a large circular text on the outside of the drawing and a small circular text around the T-O map. The small qudrant of the T-O map are filled with a single word each, and the larger one with three lines. There are 8 lines of writing along the spirals.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f68v3

Other information

This is the illustation that Newbold considered to represent the Andromeda nebula (i.e. galaxy). Ellie Velinska showed that there are several images in other manuscripts with a similar T-O map, and a starry sky delimited by a nebuly line.

  f68v2  

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 68v3, 68v2 and 68v1 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 68v3, 68v2, 68v1 from left to right.

General description

This is an astronomical page. For general information about astronomical pages see here.
Folio nr. (68) in upper right corner.

Illustration(s)

A circular diagram, a bit smaller than most other similar diagrams. In the centre is an 8-pointed star painted blue, with a yellow heart, that looks more like a flower than a star. There are 8 segments, which are alternatingly filld with many small stars, or with a single star with some words before and after it.

Text

There are 5 lines of text in a single paragraph, at the top of the page above the drawing.

There is a large circular text along the outside of the drawing. There are 12 lines of radial text, 8 along the segment boundaries, and four including one star each.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f68v2

Other information

 

  f68v1

>>Link to 2014 scan (Beinecke digital library), showing pages 68v3, 68v2 and 68v1 from left to right.

>>Link to 2004 scan (Jason Davies Voyager), showing pages 68v3, 68v2, 68v1 from left to right.

General description

This is a so-called cosmological page. For general information about cosmological pages see here.

Illustration(s)

A large circular drawing, with a sun face in the centre. Outside this is a star with alternating blue segments, and while segments filled with small stars. Between this star and the outside of the circle are 16 segments, alternatingly filled with stars, or with a few words of text. Outside the circular drawing is a thin larger circle, as if there was space for more drawing elements or text.

Text

There are two circular texts, both along the outside of the drawing. There are 8 pieces of radial text in the segments that have no stars.

Currier language: -
Currier hand: -

Browse interlinear transliteration of f68v1

Other information

 

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Copyright René Zandbergen, 2023
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Latest update: 08/11/2023