Page f72r3
[f72r2] [index] [f72v3]
Identification
Title: "Cancer"
Page: f72r3 = KE (Rene) = p139 (Stolfi)
Folio: f72
Panels: f72r3, f72r4
Bifolio: bK1 = f71+f72
Quire: K (Rene) = XI (Beinecke)
This page spans the two outermost recto panels of an eight-panel
fold-out. (The outermost panel is about 1/3 the width of a normal
one.)
Attributes
Language: ? (Currier)
Hand: ? (Currier)
Subsets: Z (Rene), zod (Stolfi)
Subject: zodiac
Colors: ??? (Reeds), green(top_lobster),red(bottom_lobster)
Description
(Beware that the KHE scanned image is upside down.)
Four concentric rings of text (units "C1" through "C4", from
outside in), bounded by eight faint mechanically drawn circles,
roughly centered on the page. Circles 5 and 6 (from the outside)
are spaced apart almost twice as much as the other pairs. The
outermost text ring runs over the crease on the left side of the
panel, and into the diagram of f72r2; for that reason the text is
interrupted between 08:00 and 10:00. The middle ring of text has a
decorated "notched square" at 09:00, and the innermost text ring
has a wider word break at 08:55.
In the centre there is a pair of lobster-like creatures seen from
above. The one at the top is light-colored and facing East, the
bottom one is dark and facing West. Below them is a non-Voynichese
word, in a heavier hand than the other text in the page.
The rings of text delimit three circular bands, containing (from
outside in) respectively 12, 11, and 7 human figures or "nymphs",
i.e. 30 in total. There is a label just clockwise of each figure
(text units "Z", "Y", "X", from outside in).
Some figures are hardly visible due to the poor copy quality. All
figures seem to be naked, except for occasional headgear (hat,
bonnet, diadem, and one crown). They are standing (radially, with
the head outwards), in 3/4 view (between frontal and facing
clockwise). Some have visible breasts, some don't. Most are
holding a star with the right hand; the left hand is generally on
the hip. Some stars have "tails".
The following table summarizes the nymph and star attributes. Here
"cw" means clockwise, "ccw" counterclockwise. The "brst" column
says whether the figure has visible female breasts.
band label place tail dir brst notes
------- ----- ----- ---- --- ---- ------------------------------
outer Z.1 10:00 yes cw ?
outer Z.2 10:30 yes cw yes
outer Z.3 11:00 yes cw no right hand holding ring?
outer Z.4 00:00 no cw no
outer Z.5 00:45 no cw no
outer Z.6 01:30 yes cw yes
outer Z.7 02:15 yes cw yes
outer Z.8 03:45 yes cw yes
outer Z.9 05:00 yes cw yes
outer Z.10 06:15 yes cw yes
outer Z.11 07:00 no cw yes
outer Z.12 08:00 yes cw ?
middle Y.1 10:00 yes ccw no
middle Y.2 11:00 yes cw yes
middle Y.3 00:00 no cw ?
middle Y.4 01:00 no cw no
middle Y.5 01:45 yes cw yes
middle Y.6 02:30 no cw ?
middle Y.7 03:15 ? cw yes
middle Y.8 05:00 yes cw yes
middle Y.9 06:30 yes cw yes
middle Y.10 08:00 yes cw yes
middle Y.11 08:45 ? cw yes
inner X.1 09:30 no cw yes
inner X.2 10:30 no cw yes
inner X.3 00:00 no cw yes
inner X.4 01:15 no cw ?
inner X.5 03:05 yes cw yes crowned
inner X.6 06:00 yes cw yes
inner X.7 07:30 yes cw yes
Rene [07 Apr 1999] observes that this folio is all curled up.
Also that the nymph's crown is uncolored.
Comments
The two lobsters are probably a symbol for Cancer.
Cancer is July 7 to August 11 (?).
Note the switch from two bands of nymphs + overflow (as in f72r2)
to three bands of figures.
The decorated square suggests the text rings are to be read
starting at 09:00 or so.
References
[f72r2] [index] [f72v3]