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World's Most Mysterious Book May Be A Hoax (Voynich)
Nature ^
| 12-17-2003
| John Whitfield
Posted on 12/17/2003 7:41:16 AM PST by blam
World's most mysterious book may be a hoax
The Voynich manuscript may be elegant gibberish.
17 December 2003
JOHN WHITFIELD
Using a Cardan grille the manuscript could have been written in three months. © G. Rugg
A strange sixteenth-century book may be cunningly crafted nonsense, says a computer scientist. Gordon Rugg has used the techniques of Elizabethan espionage to recreate the Voynich manuscript, which has stumped code-breakers and linguists for nearly a century1.
"I've shown that a hoax is a feasible explanation," says Rugg, who works at Keele University, UK. "Now it's up to believers in a code to produce evidence to support their ideas." He suspects that English adventurer Edward Kelley produced the Voynich to con Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor and collector of antiquities, out of a fortune in gold.
The explanation is plausible, but not conclusive, say Voynich scholars. "It's an excellent piece of work," says Philip Neal, a former medievalist based in London. "I haven't given up hope that the manuscript contains meaning, but this makes it less likely."
Page turner
The Voynich manuscript is often described as the world's most mysterious book. It is hand-written in a unique alphabet, about 250 pages long, and contains pictures of unrecognizable flowers, naked nymphs and astrological symbols.
The manuscript first appeared in the late 1500s, when Rudolph II bought it in Prague from an unknown seller for 600 ducats - about 3.5 kilograms of gold, worth more than US$50,000 today. The book passed from Rudolph to noblemen and scholars, before disappearing in the late 1600s.
It surfaced again around 1912, when US book dealer Wilfrid Voynich bought it. The manuscript was donated to Yale University after Voynich's death.
No one has worked out whether Voynichese is a code, an idiosyncratic translation of a known tongue, or gibberish. The text contains some features that are not seen in any language. The most common words are often repeated two or three times, for example - the equivalent of English using 'and and and' - giving weight to the hoax theory.
On the other hand, some aspects, such as the pattern of word lengths and the ways in which characters and syllables occur with each other, are similar to real languages. "Many people have believed that it is too complicated to be a hoax - that it would have taken some mad alchemist years to get such regularity," says Rugg.
Table setting
But this complexity could have been produced easily, Rugg demonstrates, with an encryption device invented around 1550 called a Cardan grille. This is a table of characters. Moving a piece of card with holes cut in it over the table makes words. Gaps in the table ensure different-length words.
Using such grilles on table of Voynichese syllables, Rugg has produced a language with many, although not all, of the manuscript's features. About three months' work would have been enough to produce the entire book, he says.
"It's an interesting angle, but it's too early to say whether it's correct," says Nick Pelling, a computer programmer based in Surbiton, UK, who also studies cryptography and the Voynich.
To prove that the manuscript is a hoax, one would need to produce entire sections using this technique, says Pelling. Tweaking the grilles and tables should make this possible, reckons Rugg.
Code book
It seems that the Voynich resists deciphering attempts because its author knew enough about codes to make the text plausible yet hard to crack.
The book appears to contain cross-referencing, just the kind of thing that cryptographers look for. The characters of Voynichese are also ambiguously written, so it is hard to work out how large the alphabet is, and drawing naked figures makes it impossible to date the text by styles of dress.
I haven't given up hope that the manuscript contains meaning Philip Neal, medievalist
The chief suspect for producing the book is known to have used Cardan grilles. As well as a cryptographer and inventor of languages, Edward Kelley was a forger, mystic, alchemist, mercenary and wife-swapper. He travelled to Prague to meet with Rudolph in 1584, and may have sold him the manuscript then. Kelley was lost to history after escaping from prison at the end of the sixteenth century.
"If it's a hoax Kelley is the obvious candidate," says Neal. But he adds that Rudolph bought many alchemical texts that are far cruder forgeries than the Voynich manuscript. "Rudolph was easily fooled. If the Voynich was a hoax by Kelley, it looks a bit like overkill," Neal says.
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: book; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; hoax; may; oldest; voynich; voynichmanuscript; worlds
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To: pabianice; Dixi Veritas
LOL! I was thinking exactly the same thing! Of course I am also listening to Rush talking about how the Democratic party is imploding.
Yesterday I was thinking they should run Hillary in 2004 (not that she could win), just to keep that far-far-left kook Howard Dean from being their candidate, but after hearing a little of her speak in Miami yesterday, I think they are hopelessly lost for now.
ping for Dixi
To: Rutabega
To: Charlotte Corday
In what sort of container does one store a universal solvent? :-) Any basket will do, once it's frozen.
To: Charlotte Corday
In what sort of container does one store a universal solvent? :-) I haven't figured out yet how to throw away a boomerang.
To: woody9
(there will be many who don't get it) I get it!
45
posted on
12/17/2003 10:44:35 AM PST
by
Doomonyou
(groovy...)
To: zeugma
IT'S SARUMAN'S LOST DIARY!!!
46
posted on
12/17/2003 10:47:46 AM PST
by
Alouette
(To a bear, a PETA activist is junk food.)
To: blam
It says, in part:
The Ushers Office plotted to have excessive costs incurred, taking advantage of Kaki and HRC
The public will never believe the innocence of the Clintons and their loyal staff
47
posted on
12/17/2003 11:29:36 AM PST
by
Hatteras
(Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps...)
To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran
Deteriorata
Go placidly amid the noise & waste, & remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof. Avoid quiet & passive persons unless you are in need of sleep. Rotate your tires. Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself and heed well their advice even though they be turkeys; know what to kiss and when. Consider that two wrongs never make a right but that three do.
Wherever possible, put people on hold. Be comforted that in the face of all aridity & disillusionment and despite the changing fortunes of time, there will always be a big future in computer maintenance. Remember the Pueblo. Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle, & mutilate. Know yourself; if you need help, call the FBI. Exercise caution in your daily affairs, especially with those persons closest to you. That lemon on your left, for instance.
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls would scarcely get your feet wet. Fall not in love therefore; it will stick to your face. Gracefully surrender the things of youth, birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan; and let not the sands of time get in your lunch. Hire people with hooks. For a good time, call 606-4311; ask for Ken. Take heart amid the deepening gloom that your dog is finally getting enough cheese; and reflect that whatever misfortune may be your lot, it could only be worse in Milwaukee.
You are a fluke of the universe; you have no right to be here, and whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back. Therefore make peace with your God whatever you conceive Him to be: Hairy Thunderer or Cosmic Muffin. With all its hopes, dreams, promises & urban renewal, the world continues to deteriorate. Give up.
By Tony Hendra - 1972
48
posted on
12/17/2003 11:35:40 AM PST
by
Elliott Jackalope
(We send our kids to Iraq to fight for them, and they send our jobs to India. Now THAT'S gratitude!)
To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran
Detirorata
Go placidly amid the noise and waste,
And remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Avoid quiet and passive persons unless you are in need of sleep.
Rotate your tires.
Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself,
And heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys.
Know what to kiss and when.
Consider that two wrongs never make a right,
But that three lefts do.
Wherever possible put people on "HOLD".
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment,
And despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer maintenance.
Remember the Pueblo.
Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle and mutilate.
Know yourself. If you need help, call the FBI.
Exercise caution in your daily affairs,
Especially with those persons closest to you;
That lemon on your left for instance.
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls,
Would scarcely get your feet wet.
Fall not in love therefore; it will stick to your face.
Carefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan,
And let not the sands of time get in your lunch.
For a good time, call 606-4311.
Take heart amid the deepening gloom that your dog
Is finally getting enough cheese;
And reflect that whatever fortunes may be your lot,
It could only be worse in Sioux City.
You are a fluke of the Universe.
You have no right to be here, and whether you can hear it or not,
The Universe is laughing behind your back.
Therefore make peace with your God whatever you conceive him to be,
Hairy Thunderer or Cosmic Muffin.
With all its hopes, dreams, promises, and urban renewal,
The world continues to deteriorate.
Give up.
49
posted on
12/17/2003 12:26:33 PM PST
by
freedumb2003
(Peace through Strength)
To: Cicero
Looks like Tolkien's Elvish !
50
posted on
12/17/2003 12:27:23 PM PST
by
jimt
To: Elliott Jackalope
I was soooooo slow in my response.
See what happens when you let work get in the way of FReeping? You don't hit the Post button just because some jerks want you attend a meeting.
51
posted on
12/17/2003 12:27:51 PM PST
by
freedumb2003
(Peace through Strength)
To: blam
Thanks blam!
52
posted on
12/17/2003 1:43:20 PM PST
by
ruoflaw
To: Consort
To: Charlotte Corday
In what sort of container does one store a universal solvent?That's in the first section of the manuscript. I always mix mine by pouring the ingredients in/on the item which I intend to disolve. Maybe the mixture could be suspended by the anti-gravity mechanism described in the later parts of the manuscript.
54
posted on
12/17/2003 7:29:00 PM PST
by
FreePaul
To: Onelifetogive
Interestingly....that is the same conclusion that the Supreme Court has reached concerning the Constitution.
Wait until they find the Secret and up until now unpublished Constitutional Amendmendments that the Founding Fathers and the U.N. have yet to reveal to the rest of us. (That will be a hoot as well)
55
posted on
12/17/2003 7:58:54 PM PST
by
TexasTransplant
(What we need is the "Anti-Viagra" for our Government, Nanny Laws Suck - first in your Car then...)
To: Rutabega
56
posted on
12/17/2003 8:31:59 PM PST
by
StriperSniper
(Sending the Ba'thist to the showers! ;-)
To: Charlotte Corday
In what sort of container does one store a universal solvent? :-)
A container made from the material used to dilute water should work.
57
posted on
12/17/2003 8:48:15 PM PST
by
gcruse
(http://gcruse.typepad.com/)
To: freedumb2003
BTTT
58
posted on
02/06/2004 5:31:59 PM PST
by
carpio
59
posted on
02/12/2011 2:34:04 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)
60
posted on
01/07/2012 1:32:00 AM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Merry Christmas, Happy New Year! May 2013 be even Happier!)
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