For centuries, scholars, cryptographers, and book enthusiasts have been captivated by an illustrated book known as the Voynich Manuscript. The mystery associated with the manuscript is that no one knows what’s it about and who wrote it.
What is the Voynich Manuscript?
Voynich Manuscript, named after rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who acquired it in 1912, contains 240 pages. The pages are filled with text, written from left to right in an unknown writing system, and illustrations of astronomical symbols, shapes, and fictional plants.
History of Voynich Manuscript
The carbon-dating test estimated that the Voynich Manuscript was originally written in the early 15th century. The first known owner of the book is Czech alchemist Georg Baresch, who owned it in the 17th century. Baresch was the first one who tried to decipher the contents of the book. The book changed hands multiple times before being acquired by Voynich.
Following Voynich’s death in 1930, the book was in the possession of his widow, Ethel, for 30 years before she left it to her friend Anne Nill. One year later, Nill sold the book to antique book dealer Hans P. Kraus. After Kraus failed to find a buyer for the Voynich Manuscript, he donated it to Yale University in 1969.
Theories About the Voynich Manuscript
Numerous scholars and cryptographers tried to decipher the contents of the Voynich Manuscript but failed. There are many theories about the book’s contents, the most popular one being that it is a medical book. Other theories include that the book is an attempt to create an artificial language and that it is simply a hoax and was purposely created to confuse people.