VMs: Re: Mandaeans and the VMS...?

[Nick Pelling <incoming@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Rene,

> in all this, we have to keep in mind that there
> are several different issues:
> - the style of the script
> - the style (and concents) of the drawings
> - the knowledge contained in the Voynich MS.

You can break these down in many different ways, eg:

(1) Alphabet
Precursors of the alphabet & their physical context(s)
Late additions to the alphabet (like "4o"/"qo")
The alphabet itself
Representation of numbers using the alphabet

(2) Function
Purpose of the document - fraud, archive, draft, master?
Value of the document - ???
User of the document - physician, apothecary, etc
Use of the document - folding calender, index, calculation, magic, etc

(3) Content/Style/Tradition
Source of visual information
Source of textual information
Source of magical information
Source of astrological information
Source of cosmological information
etc

However, I guess everyone here would probably have a different set of 
answers... :-)

Cheers, .....Nick Pelling.....