I recently discovered something I would like to share with people of the Midcoast region. During the previous winter my project was to translate an ancient document. The one chosen is called the “Voynich Manuscript.” It is approximately 600 years old and written on calf skin. Carbon dating puts it between 1404-1438. It is currently housed at Yale University in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. The official name of the manuscript is Beinecke MS 408. 

The manuscript is filled with illustrations of strange plants, astrological, biological figures and many people bathing in pools. The goal was to translate text characters rather than focus on illustrations. While hundreds of theories describe the manuscript, none of them led to a translation. I did not make a theory. Instead let the research take me to the answer. The only way to to solve this was to do something completely different than everyone else.

The manuscript used an ancient language which abandoned several of its characters approximately 1500 AD. These characters had been used as abbreviations. They were not missed by the readers. Scribes spelled out entire words or simply used standard abbreviations. The abandoned characters are throughout the manuscript. No reference material was available at the time for anyone who wanted to transcribe. The manuscript is made up entirely of the ancient abandoned characters.

Only a small percentage of the population could read or write. Most of the population was illiterate. People who could read were more worried about constant wars, witch hunts and inquisition than language. The manuscript appears to be from Western Europe.

Here is paragraph 1 of the first page.  

The translation may sound a little strange. It is written in code and it is a mystery within a mystery. Here is further clarification. 

When he was a little boy he was very rich. His candle shines with the sun, 

to laugh at the truth, to be used three times, to go with one another. I have been here three times. 

When we are old, we are an ally, to be with you. Be with us again, 

with a partner. I will fight alongside with you. I am here again having fought three times. 

When he was thrown back three times. This is the case three times. 

When he prays 

The entire manuscript deals with attacking the enemy. I’m not sure if the enemy is the Roman empire, local kingdoms or Holy Roman Empire. The events taking place are centuries older than year 1430. Each page contains correspondence between leaders of Germanic tribes. They are usually described as barbarians, heretics and Pagan. The manuscript would have been burned if found by a king or emperor. That is why it is in code. It was made to be preserved rather than translated. Several pages have been completed and they all are the same theme.

Next time, language and abandoned characters will be revealed. We’ll be exploring an attack in Cypress, chasing a commander back to Rome and planning a reconnaissance mission to Umbria, Italy. Let me know if you want to see more of my work in the comments section below. The translation will take several years to complete.