VMs: RE: Astrological volvelles in VMS

["John Grove" <4groves@xxxxxxxxx>]

On further thought....

	I decided to make up a rule -- "If the nymph is standing on a carpet,
insert an extra day if required" (I'll just say for now that it is always
required - even though this brings the 'calendar' to 366 days).

	So, using the concept of zodiac start dates (commencing with Pisces because
that is where our author has commenced)... Did February only have 28 days
back then -- I don't think the leap year was invented yet was it? (well, if
it was - then add the centre label as a 'day' on a leap year... otherwise
ignore it).

	Pisces inner circle: Feb 19 - Feb 28
		outer circle Mar 1st to Mar 19th

Pattern A:

	Aries two inner circles first: Mar 20th to 24th and 25th to 29th
	        two outer circles next: Mar 30th to Apr 10th and Apr 11th to 20th

	Taurus two inner circles first: Apr 21st to 25th and 26th to 30th
		two outer circles next: May1st to 10th and 11th to 20th

	Now the fun begins...

Pattern B:

	Gemini: May 21st to 29th inner
		May 30th to 17 Jun middle (3 carpets one non-labelled nymph --- counted 3
carpets twice, ignored non-label)
		Jun 18th to 23rd outer (1 carpet counted twice)

	Cancer: Jun 24th to 30th inner
		Jul 1-11 middle
		Jul 12-23 outer

Pattern C:

	Leo:	Jul 24th - Aug 4th inner
		Aug 5th to 22nd outer

	Virgo:	Aug 23rd to Sep 4th inner (1 carpet counted twice)
		Sep 5th to 22nd outer

	Libra:	Sep 23rd to Oct 2nd inner
		Oct 3rd to 22nd outer

Pattern D:

	Scorpio: Oct 23rd to Nov 1st inner
		 Nov 2nd to 17th middle
		 Nov 18th to 21st outer

	Sagit:	Nov 22nd to Dec 1st inner
		Dec 2nd to 17th middle
		Dec 18th to 22nd outer (1 carpet counted twice)


For what it's worth... 8-)

	John.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of GC
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 3:12 AM
To: Voynich Ms. mailing list
Subject: VMs: Astrological volvelles in VMS


This idea may have been put forth before, although I don't
remember reading it.

The month names written (apparently by another) in the
astrological volvelles may well be misleading.  The months are
basically timed to religious holidays, while the mathematics of
rise and fall of certain constellations is not in keeping with
this man-made philosophy.

Is it just possible that these volvelles are about the zodiac
signs themselves, and not related to months or religious holidays?
Take a look for instance at modern delineation of zodiac signs,
which ignores beginnings and endings of months, and roughly
divides the heavens into 12 equal 30 day segments:


Aries  Mar 21 - Apr 19
Taurus  Apr 20 - May 20
Gemini  May 21 - Jun 21
Cancer  Jun 22 - Jul 22
Leo  Jul 23 - Aug 22
Virgo  Aug 23 - Sep 22
Libra  Sep 23 - Oct 22
Scorpio  Oct 23 - Nov 21
Sagittarius  Nov 22 - Dec 21
Capricorn  Dec 22 - Jan 19
Aquarius  Jan 20 - Feb 18
Pisces  Feb 19 - Mar 20

My apologies if this has been mentioned before, but still
something to think about.  If this is indeed the intention, the
exact set of mathematical calculations that lead to VMS divisions
may well be traceable.

GC