VMs: RE: Astrological volvelles in VMS

["GC" <glenclaston@xxxxxxxxx>]

As tempting as it is to look for other outside explanations, I
still feel that a disciplined study of astrological ideas and
systems available during the time period we think the VMS to be
written will yield our best results.

Just one of the many for certain, but Askham's little treatise on
calendar reform (1552) is a compendium of information.  He seems
to be very well read and heavily involved in this element of
reformation.  He of course lists several authors and various
systems of calculating the year, where to start, where to stop,
when to add the leap year, etc., but his own personal preferences
are quite interesting, reflecting some ideas held by Johann
Stoffer, a contemporary.

Askham explains the different religious viewpoints, pointing to
the different lengths of days and months at different latitudes as
the primary reason for such disputation.   He tends to favor a
more astrological counting of days, months and years, outside the
religious interpretation.  Accordingly, the astrological day
starts at true noon and ends at true noon the next day, the hours
being counted equally in degrees of zodiac.  The year begins (as
in the Egyptian calendar) at noon on the longest day of the year.
The year is divided into 12 months, each month being divided
equally into 30 zodiacal days, except the last month which has 31
days.  This thinking seems a bit obtuse by modern standards.

This is a rather purist view of the calendar, from someone who is
very deeply involved in the mathematics of the zodiac and the
movement of the ten spheres of heaven.  That nasty number 17,
which keeps staring at me from pages of the VMS, comes up once in
Askham's treatise.  From a lengthy list of cities and townships
around the world, only one has its longest day at exactly 17
hours, and that is Yorke, Askham's home base, the region for which
he bases all his astrological calculations.

Is this zodiocentrist ideology the astrological equivalent of
rocket science, or simply a really backward way of looking at
things?  My brain hurts......

GC



> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of John Grove
> Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 9:08 AM
> To: Voynich Ms. mailing list
> Subject: VMs: RE: Astrological volvelles in VMS
>
>
>
>
> 	Argh! Of course, if I was to make an error I'd do
> it early in the
> calendar... Aries ends with 18 Apr instead of 20
> 	which forces the whole calendar back two days for
> the remaining months...
>
> 	Newer version (I hope at least the days match the
> number of labelled nymphs
> now (along with the bonus for carpets)...
>
> 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
> 8th and Apr 9th to 18th
>
> 	Taurus two inner circles first: Apr 19th to 23rd
> and 24th to 28th
> 		two outer circles next: Apr 29th to May
> 8th and May 9th to 18th
>
> 	Now the fun begins...
>
> Pattern B:
>
> 	Gemini: May 19th to 27th inner
> 		May 28th to 15 Jun middle (3 carpets one
> non-labelled nymph --- counted 3
> carpets twice, ignored non-label)
> 		Jun 16th to 21st outer (1 carpet counted twice)
>
> 	Cancer: Jun 22nd to 28th inner
> 		Jun 29th- Jul 9th middle
> 		Jul 10th-21st outer
>
> Pattern C:
>
> 	Leo:	Jul 22nd - Aug 2nd inner
> 		Aug 3rd to 20th outer
>
> 	Virgo:	Aug 21st to Sep 2nd inner (1 carpet counted twice)
> 		Sep 3rd to 20th outer
>
> 	Libra:	Sep 21st to 30th inner
> 		Oct 1st to 20th outer
>
> Pattern D:
>
> 	Scorpio: Oct 21st to Oct 30th inner
> 		 Oct 31st to Nov 15th middle
> 		 Nov 16th to 19th outer
>
> 	Sagit:	Nov 20th to 29th inner
> 		Nov 30th to Dec 15th middle
> 		Dec 16th to 20th outer (1 carpet counted twice)
>
>
> An alternative for the split months of Aries/Taurus....
>
> 	Aries: Mar 20th to 24th inner
> 	          Mar 25th to 3 Apr outer
> 	          4 Apr to 8 Apr inner
> 	          9 Apr to 18 Apr outer
>
> 	Taurus: 19 Apr to 23 inner
> 		24 Apr to 3 May outer
> 		4 May to 8 May inner
> 		9 May to 18 May outer
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of John Grove
> Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 9:07 AM
> To: Voynich Ms. mailing list
> Subject: VMs: RE: Astrological volvelles in VMS
>
>
>
> 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
>
>
>