I have to make this quick. My time for blogging is very limited (and I have many mostly-finished blogs I need to get posted). But I thought this quirk in some medieval zodiacs might be interesting to Voynich researchers.
Mislabeled or Misunderstood
In a cruise through eBay a couple of years ago I noticed that many small sculptures, pieces of jewelry, and designs on ceramics that were based on animals were mislabeled. Foxes labeled as mice, hedgehogs labeled as boars, deer labeled as foxes. These were not occasional errors, they were common. Apparently, some people don’t recognize animals, especially if they are small.
I’ve already posted a blog on how unrealistic medieval animal drawings can be, but sometimes this is because the animal was unknown. For example, unicorns sometimes resembled a cross between a goat and a rhino. Tigers were sometimes drawn as stripy horses. Elephants were sometimes cowlike animals with long noses.
I have also seen marginal drawings of goats labeled as sheep (and sometimes vice-versa). The VMS pic where one would expect a sheep, in the slot usually assigned to Aries, does have fairly curvy horns but otherwise is quite goat-like:
Does this happen in other medieval zodiacs? Yes, sometimes. Here are some examples.
Goat-Like Aries or Misplaced Figures
In the first example, extracted from a wheel illustration, the constellation Aries is somewhat goatlike, especially considering that medieval sheep were often drawn with long tails. However, it can still be distinguished from the goat by having slightly more curved horns:
The following drawings are a bit degraded, so it’s hard to see clearly, but the goat and ram have been transposed. The drawing in Aries has long horns and a short, upturned tail (goat-like), and the one in Capricorn has shorter, curved horns and a longer down-turned tail:
In this example, the figures are out of order. The illustrator mistakenly drew Capricorn (goat) and Sagittarius (centaur) in the months for Aries (ram) and Taurus (bull).
In the next example, Aries has a goatlike beard and the traditional goat-fish has been used for Capricorn:
In this example, Aries has sheep-like wool combined with a goat-like tail and beard:
Sometimes the drawings are so similar, it’s difficult to tell the sheep from the goat. In this case the bodies are almost the same (Aries is slightly thicker, but not much). The main difference is the curl of the horns:
Summary
In general, in medieval zodiacs, Aries is depicted with curly horns and a puffy or long tail (usually pointing down), Capricorn usually has a shorter tail, sometimes upturned, with straighter horns and often a beard.
It doesn’t happen often, but Aries is sometimes drawn like a goat, and Capricorn is occasionally transposed with Aries. The VMS goat-like sheep in the Aries slot is somewhat unusual, but it’s not unprecedented, so it’s difficult to know if the deviation is lack of experience, a mistake, or a deliberate choice.
The Voynich Manuscript has 10 figural themes patterned after zodiac symbols, where one would usually expect 12. Two have been duplicated in different colors. The unduplicated figures are surrounded by 30 nymphs each, the others 15. The figures for Aquarius and Capricon, which are usually at the beginning and end of traditional sequences, are missing (or were not necessary for whatever purpose the designer intended).
Over the years, I have collected more than 550 early zodiac sequences, most of them complete. It’s becoming difficult to find ones I don’t already have, so I’ve only located three more in the last year, but 550+ is probably enough to post some general observations.
VMS Layout
In the VMS, the double fish we associate with Pisces follow directly after a section with a lot of moon and starburst shapes, so there isn’t space to insert a seemingly missing Aquarius. The last figure, the crossbowman, falls before a completely different section with nymphs in green pools, so there may be a folio missing after Sagittarius:
It doesn’t seem likely that the two “Aries” drawings stand for Capricorn (or for Aries and Capricorn), since the sequence would be wrong, and Taurus has been duplicated as well. Similarly, the extra Taurus would not be a good stand-in for the missing Capricorn or Aquarius, so it seems probable that Aries and Taurus are four halves of two wholes.
Sources
Most medieval zodiacs were added to astrology/astronomy manuscripts, books of hours (where they served as embellishments along with months’ labors), missals (although less frequently), and books of general knowledge that include sections on cosmology or astrology.
This blog is a continuation of a series of combination-searches and will not delve into Aquarius. Aquarius imagery can be quite variable, even among similar traditions, which makes it hard to guess what Aquarius might have looked like if it were part of the original VMS.
Instead, this blog focuses on zodiacs with crayfish-Cancer and lizard-like Scorpius, because they appear to represent a distinct subgroup in terms of thematic content and execution (about 7%). See previous blogs for other combinatoins.
Incomplete Zodiacs
It’s not difficult to find zodiac series with fewer than 12 figures. Sometimes drawings have been cut out, sometimes the series is unfinished (or has been sketched but not painted). Occasionally there are mistakes. But usually it’s evident that 12 figures were intended. With the VMS, the intent is not so clear but we can look at some incomplete sets to see what they offer.
The following manuscript was significantly vandalized, with only four zodiac figures spared and many of the months’ labors excised, as well. The four remaining figures (aquatic critters and crawly things) are contained within gold-filled roundels and show a mixture of traditions—the uncommon lizard-like Scorpius combined with the classical “Capri-Pisces” (goat-fish), also known as a sea-goat:
Vandalized zodiac series in BNF Latin 8885 (14th century). Note that Scorpius has been erroneously placed in the month labeled September rather than its usual place in October.
Taking Stock
In the vandalized zodiac, Pisces is blue, and the fish have long noses.
Color variations are common in copied manuscripts, even those with identical figures, but in this case the blue fish seems to be an underlying theme that is carried over to other manuscripts, as will be shown in the following examples. Cancer is a crayfish, Scorpio is lizard-like (these are medieval innovations), but Capricorn is a classical seagoat dating back thousands of years.
After going through my files numerous times, I’m fairly confident that the vandalized missal is in the same general tradition as a subgroup from France/Normandy/Flanders that is discussed below. This might be relevant to the VMS because crayfish-Cancer combined with a somewhat reptilian Scorpius represents less than 10% of 550+ examples.
Scorpius is generally represented by one of these four themes: a real scorpion (sometimes badly drawn), a turtle, a dragon, or a vaguely reptilian creature.
Cancer is typically a crayfish/lobster or a crab.
So let’s look at the general characteristics of this specific group of manuscripts…
Crayfish & Lizardy Scorpius Mixed with Classical Themes
Here is an example from early 13th century France that includes long-nosed blue fish, crayfish-Cancer, and lizardy-Scorpius, anomalously blended with classical scales-with-figure, centaur and seagoat. Sometimes the tail of the seagoat is more like a shell than a fish, but both commonly represent Capricorn:
Morgan MS M.153 from France, 13th century. It includes mostly traditional themes, except that it has a crayfish-Cancer and lizard-like Scorpius. Note the tail wound through Taurus’s legs. This is unusual and generally reserved for Leo.
The long-nosed fish are in the minority (about 12%). The majority are normal or blunt. The fish in the VMS have slight touches of blue, and have long noses and scales from top to bottom, but do not have a connecting line between them, as is common. Instead each has a line connecting to a star (and a somewhat ambiguous blue line added with paint):
The next zodiac series, from c. 1230s Paris, is clearly similar to Morgan M.153.
It has the long-nosed blue fish, Taurus with his tail through his legs, the crayfish, and reptilian Scorpius. They are framed by gold-filled roundels. Note the tree in Aries, which almost looks like a tail. I don’t think there’s a direct relationship between them, but coincidentally, the VMS feline has a tail that almost looks like a tree:
These themes are repeated in the mid-13th century in a number of manuscripts. The first example below is said to be from England (although this might be debated). The second and third from Paris, France. They are all drawn with gold-embellished roundels. Each one has a blue fish and a medieval-style reptilian Scorpius combined with classical themes.
Unfortunately the twins and crayfish are missing in Morgan M.103, but it’s not a stretch to imagine that Gemini was probably nude twins behind a shield and Cancer was a crayfish. If it is indeed from England, then Cancer might be a crab:
This one, from France, does not have a blue fish, but has obvious thematic similarities to Morgan M.153 and M.92. Note in particular the tail threaded through the legs of Taurus:
The following Psalter zodiac has fish of two different colors, but one is blue. It too includes a crayfish rather than a crab, and a lizard-like Scorpius within gold roundels:
A Book of Hours from the Diocese of Thérouanne (early 1300s) lacks the blue fish, but is thematically like the others and Taurus has his tail between his legs:
So far I have only seen 25 examples of Taurus with the leg-tail (less than 5% of zodiacs) and only 10 were paired with crayfish-Cancer and lizardy-Scorpius. One was paired with a crayfish and a turtle-Scorpius. They range in date from c. 1220s to c. 1478 with most of them being from the 13th and 14th centuries. Thus, this combination forms a distinct subgroup if one considers that most are from France and contained within gold circles.
The Scorpius drawing that most resembles the VMS critter is Douce 313 (c. 1350s, Paris), but it is unlike the VMS in other ways, relying on classical themes for Gemini, Cancer, Libra, Sagittarius, and Capricorn, and enclosing the figures within decorative frames:
Contrasting Examples
To see how this group of zodiacs contrasts with some of the others from the 13th and 14th centuries, here is an example from England or Normandy with rectangular frames, a crab-Cancer, and somewhat ambiguous Scorpius (it’s hard to tell if it’s a scorpion or a lizardy version). Note also that Capricorn is a regular goat and a lot of action is going on in each scene, with numerous figures playing out roles (it is unusual in this regard):
In Royal MS 2 B VII, the nude Gemini twins are behind a shield, as in the crayfish roundel zodiacs, but in the following two examples, the twins lack the shield or are fully clothed.
This one from southern Italy (c. 1320s) features crab-Cancer, a real scorpion, and rectangular, highly decorated frames. It’s interesting that it has long-nosed blue fish (possibly dolphin-fish):
There is a similarly decorative zodiac in Breviari d’Amour (Yates Thompson 31) from Spain (c. 1340) patterned after classical themes except for the clothing on Aquarius and Gemini:
Back to the Crayfish-Lizardy Group
Ms Typ 311 is from the far north of France (St. Riquier), and eventually ended up in the Houghton Library at Harvard. It too has blue fish and a lizardy Scorpius, combined with classical Virgo, Libra, and Capricorn (Aquarius and Gemini were probably scraped because they were nude):
Another zodiac was created in France in the mid-13th century that is very similar to the previous crayfish roundel-zodiacs, but note how the illustrator added trees to both Aries and Taurus:
Yates Thompson MS 13 (prob. England, c. 1330s) also has trees in Aries and Taurus, and a lizardy Scorpius, but Cancer is a crab and there is only a hand rather than a full figure for Libra, which puts it in a slightly different illustrative branch. In general, English manuscripts favor the crab rather than the crayfish.
Here is another 13th-century example from Paris with teal-blue fish and gold-filled roundels:
The Grosbois Psalter Hours from Liège includes wreath-like tendrils on the circular frame, but the subject matter is consistent with the others, with the exception of Libra, which is only the scales, no figure:
This difference in Libra might be significant, perhaps even relevant to the VMS, because Germanic manuscripts with crayfish/lizard are more likely to have no-figure Libra than the French manuscripts. Liège is in eastern Belgium, by the German border. Perhaps it was a transmission point between the two traditions:
Trinity B-11-5 (Normandy) has clear thematic similarities to the previous examples, but note the unusual scales on the blue fish and the fat trees as props for Gemini and Virgo. Like the previous zodiac, the Libra scales are not held by a full figure. Unlike the previous one, a hand has been added. Note also the pawlike hooves on Aries:
In the late 13th century in Switzerland, they adopted the same general themes (and gold-filled roundels), except the twins are in a barrel instead of behind a shield, and the lizardy-Scorpius looks more like a turtle (maybe a tarasque). Also note that Libra does not include a figure. Thus, as might be expected, the Swiss zodiac falls somewhere between the French and German styles:
By now it should be clear that illustrators often individualized line quality, poses, and colors, while still maintaining thematic similarities with other manuscripts (including the gold-embellished roundels).
This is a fairly rare subset of zodiacs. Reptilian scorpions, long-nosed blue fish, and crayfish Cancer specifically combined with classical themes within gold roundels account for less than 10% of medieval zodiacs. See my previous blogs for maps and other combination-searches.
Diverging from Tradition, But Only a Little
Around the middle of the 13th century, an illustrator in Arras got creative, as did others nearby. The Psalter-Hours of Gulluys de Boisieux (Morgan M.730) retains the same combination of medieval and traditional themes, including long-nosed fish, but adds an unusual pair of wings to the seagoat and sets them within rectangular frames. The tail extending beyond the frame is similar to Morgan M.440:
The above Psalter is significant in another way as it is one of the earliest crayfish/lizardy manuscripts to present Gemini as an affectionate couple. We can’t tell if they are twins or lovers, it’s not a marriage pose, but it is a distinct departure from a pair of nude males behind a shield. Arras is in northeast France near the Belgian border.
In this example from Paris, the general themes are the same as the early examples, including the Gemini shield. The main difference is the diamond-shaped frames:
Ludwig VIII 4, c. mid-13th century, Paris, France
Someone in Liège was even more innovative with frames, but retained the same themes (although the fish are more gray than blue). Unlike the earlier example from Liège, with the no-figure Libra, this one is consistent with the Parisian themes:
Note that all the frames so far are filled with gold except for Douce 313.
The frames around these figures from France are individualized and ornate, but the themes are the same. The main difference is decorative rather than gold-filled backgrounds, but the frame edges are gold:
In this example from Paris, the frame is scalloped instead of round, and delicately patterned rather than filled with gold, but nevertheless includes the crayfish, long-nosed blue fish, and vaguely reptilian Scorpius:
Morgan M.75, circa 1350, Paris, France
Thus we see a gradual movement away from the use of gold toward the latter part of the 14th century. It’s possible the plague years (1346-53) contributed to this change.
So why are most of these examples from France, rather than evenly distributed between France and England? Because English zodiacs generally favored the crab rather than a crayfish, and a dragon rather than a vaguely reptilian, more lizard-like Scorpius. The VMS includes a crayfish and lizardy Scorpius, so it is more similar to the French and Germanic manuscripts than those from England.
This is a more humble manuscript (mid-14th century) from southeastern France. There’s no gold in the roundels, but the themes are the same, except for two significant differences… the goat is a real goat, not a goat-fish, and the Libra scales are not held by a figure—thus it shares characteristics with both French and German zodiacs:
This French Psalter from the late 14th century includes decorative roundels, and a clothed, affectionate couple as Gemini (the man’s tunic has baggy sleeves). Most of the French zodiacs in this tradition feature nude male Gemini, so I wondered whether it might be from eastern France or the Alsace. It’s more similar to the VMS than most of the others, except that Libra, Sagittarius, and Capricorn are classical styles:
When I saw this zodiac, it occurred to me that the departure from tradition in choosing an affectionate Gemini may have been influenced by the very popular Roman de la Rose but it might be difficult to confirm whether this is so.
The Other Side of Europe
Meanwhile, in c. 1390s Prague, there is a manuscript the follows the French themes except it has a no-figure Libra and a real scorpion. It caught my attention because the fish are so similar to those in the VMS. They have very long noses, the scales go from top to bottom, they are slightly wavy, and there is no line between them connecting their mouths:
Long-nosed all-over-scales Pisces in a Prague manuscript that is mostly in the same style as the French manuscripts, with crayfish-Cancer, centaur, and goatfish. But like the Germanic manuscripts, Libra does not have a figure. In common with the VMS, the lion does have his tail between his legs, but his tongue is not sticking out. BSB Clm 826 825 (c. 1378 to c. 1419).
Unfortunately, other than the no-figure Libra and the crayfish, nothing else about the series has much in common with the VMS, so perhaps the similarity to the fish is coincidental or perhaps there is an intermediary source with long-nosed fish.
It’s not certain where the following manuscript is from (I wonder whether it might be Provençe), but it fits thematically with the others even though the figures are intended to represent constellations and are not within roundels. The stated date is 1395, but I would have guessed early 15th century based on the drawing style and text. Note that Cancer is unusual, as it includes both a crab and a crayfish:
The same manuscript includes a Zodiac Man illustration in a slightly different style, with a lizardy Scorpius that is somewhat like the VMS and even more similar to the green salamander in herbal manuscript Sloane 4016:
Unusual Framing
In terms of color and style, one would expect the following French manuscript to be from the late 15th century, but the repository says it’s early 15th-century (if so, it is remarkable for its time). The lavish colors and decorative frames set it apart, but the figural themes are consistent with the earlier French gold-filled roundels:
This early-15th-century example from the Netherlands is stylistically very different from anything else I’ve seen, and it doesn’t include a blue fish or seagoat, but otherwise, it’s thematically similar to the French manuscripts, with the addition of a protruding tongue on the lion. Since this person could draw better than most, it is obvious that the lizardy Scorpius is deliberate and not just a bad drawing of a scorpion:
Cross-Border Influence
The same general themes can be found in Catalonia, Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria, but there are some notable differences…
Morgan M.711 (Germany, c. 1230s) is thematically similar to the French subgroup, except that there is no figure holding the Libra scales and Capricorn is a goat:
In the German-speaking countries, the color of the fish was less often blue, and they didn’t always have long noses. The frames were similar (they were often circular), but the twins were more varied, and often clothed. Scorpius was sometimes a scorpion or a turtle rather than a lizard.
Most of the French examples included a full figure for Libra and the German ones (in the same tradition) generally omitted the figure. Note also that the French zodiacs favor the centaur while some of the Germanic manuscripts have two-legged Sagittarius. Might these details be important to localizing the VMS?
Here are examples from the Stammheim Missal, Austria Gradual Sequentiary, and Augsberg Psalter that I’ve posted in previous blogs. Note the turtle in the latter two (Hildegard von Bingen also drew Scorpius with a turtle shell):
In this example, possibly from Augsburg, the roundels have been replaced by arches and the archer has human legs, but the themes are the same:
This one (Augsburg, c. 1300) has arches, as well. I’ve posted it several times because there are numerous similarities to the VMS, including an affectionate couple and a human archer:
This c. 1350s example is thought to be from Germany. There is no gold fill, and the painting style is more sketchy than the above examples, but the themes are the same as other Germanic manuscripts. Scorpius is noteworthy because it looks more like a dog than a lizard, but it has a “sail” similar to some species of lizards.
Note that the lion has its tongue sticking out, Gemini is clothed, Capricorn is a goat, and the archer has two legs (characteristics more similar to the VMS):
BSB Clm 13076 (probably from Germany, 1356), has more in common with the VMS than French manuscripts featuring a crayfish and lizard-like Scorpius, but differs in that the lion doesn’t have its tail between its legs and Libra is held by a figure.
A zodiac sequence that is particularly significant (and similar in drawing style to Clm 13076) is Codex Sang. 827 from Lake Constance (but not from St. Gall). It combines a crossbowman with the crayfish and maybe a lizardy scorpion, although I suspect it’s a bad drawing of a scorpion.
The main differences between this manuscript and the French ones are that Libra does not include a figure, Sagittarius has two legs, and Capricorn is a goat. In common with the VMS, it has a crossbowman with baggy sleeves, and a crouching or sitting Virgo. However, nude male Gemini differs from the VMS:
This one from Catalonia (possibly Gerona), is missing Gemini, and Capricorn is a unicorn-goat rather than a seagoat, but it is otherwise thematically similar to the French crayfish/lizard zodiacs:
Zodiac in a Breviary written in Occitan, BNF Français 1601.
Origins of This Thematic Tradition
Where did this particular combination of crayfish and reptilian Scorpius originate? As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I think one of the sources may have been carvings on cathedrals. Here is an example from the Basilique Ste. Madeleine in West Burgundy, France (there is a similarly-themed set in Chartres Cathedral). It combines the medieval Cancer and Scorpius with the classical centaur, goatfish, and Virgo:
Italian and Spanish manuscripts usually feature Cancer as a crab, Sagittarius as a centaur, and Scorpius as a scorpion, which is why they don’t fit well in this particular subgroup. There is one from Bologna (c. 1400) that is stylistically unusual that features affectionate Gemini, a 4-legged goat, and a crayfish, thus incorporating some of the German characteristics:
The zodiac in De Sphaera (Cristofor de Predis of the Lombard School, c. 1470) combines the French and German themes:
English manuscripts almost always have Cancer as a crab and Scorpio as a dragon or a traditional scorpion.
Summary
This combination-search focuses on one particular theme, the crayfish-lizardy combination, and yet even though the scope is narrow, it’s quite informative. There is a clear subgroup that combines these two figures with classical drawings and most of them are in France/Normandy/Flanders. However, the influence of this line can be seen in Germanic zodiacs, especially those in west and south Germany.
How Does the VMS Crossbow Fit In?
Crossbow zodiacs are rare, only a dozen out of 550+. They are similar to the French group in having male twins and a crayfish (except for one that has a badly drawn crab), but they usually omit the figure from Libra and include a real scorpion. Only three two of the crossbow zodiacs include a clothed male/female Gemini. The first has a “turtle” scorpion, the second a real one. Both are similar to the German subgroup in having a real goat rather than a seagoat:
There is also an incomplete Brevier zodiac from Breslau/Prague that is potentially similar to Pal. Germ. 148 (I don’t know who originally found this, but it has been mentioned by other VMS researchers), but note that it has a figure for Libra, so it might be in between French and German traditions and may not have included a crayfish or lizard-scorpion:
Summary
The crayfish/lizard combination is more common in the French/Flanders group, and the crossbow/affectionate Gemini combination only shows up (so far) in German and Czech/Polish manuscripts (these are pinpointed on maps in earlier blogs). Thus, the VMS figures seem to fit somewhere between the French and German examples.
In terms of drawing style and thematic choices, Cod. Sang. 827 from Lake Constance (15th c), Pal. Germ. 298 from Augsburg, and Ms Germ. fol. 557 are similar to one another and similar to the VMS, except for the nude male Gemini twins:
Cgm 28 (Schwabia, c. 1460) is painted differently and is more detailed, but it fits with the above examples, as well:
As does BSB Cgm 312 (also from Schwabia), which includes text within the roundel frames:
But they are not quite as similar as this c. 1440s zodiac from Seckau Austria, which has grazing Aries and Taurus with trees, undulating long-nosed fish, no-figure Libra, a clothed affectionate Gemini, two-legged Sagittarius, and a more lizard-like scorpion than the previous examples:
When the ten symbols are taken as a whole, the VMS zodiac sequence fits most comfortably with the Alsace/Schwabia/Bavaria/Austria manuscripts. The drawing styles are different and the exemplars for individual figures don’t necessarily come from zodiacs, but if you lift Virgo and the crossbowman out of Cod. Sang. 827 and fuse them into BSB Clm 13076 or Graz Ms. 386 (and hand out a few stars on strings), the thematic result is a close cousin to the VMS.
This is part of an ongoing series on VMS zodiac symbols. This time rather than mapping specific symbols, I searched for combinations of traits similar to those found in the Voynich Manuscript. This cannot be done in a single blog, so I will start with one that charts three characteristics of Leo, Libra, and Cancer.
For the first combination search, I chose 1) Leo with his tail between his legs, 2) Libra alone (no hand supporting it), and 3) Cancer as a crayfish rather than a crab. This last one has some fairly distinctive regional differences that have been described in previous blogs.
There are many possible combinations, and it will take time to post them, but even this preliminary search filters the data in some intriguing ways. I will upload other combinations as I have time. You can click the image to see it larger:
There is quite a bit of information in these maps. Note that when you filter for these specific characteristics, Spain and England do not appear in the “hits” and even Italy is not represented except for one manuscript that is of uncertain origin. The dates are interesting, as well. There is no clear migratory route for these zodiac styles, but there are some patterns.
One of the reasons England did not appear in this combination is because English zodiacs tend to have a crab and place the tail behind or above Leo more often than between the legs. Spain follows the same pattern. Lions with leg-tails can be found (just as crayfish can be found), but they are usually not paired in this specific way.
I will leave you to peruse the maps, and when I have time I will post additional combination searches that illustrate other perspectives.
