Rob Hicks wrote:
Dice Page Observations
(made prior to the other posted observations)
The table consists of 12 columns (headed with the numbers 2 to 12 in
sequence) and 19 rows (headed with the numbers 1 to 19 out of
sequence). Each cell of the table contains one or two letters
(lowercase Roman alphabet) and two numbers (left number from 5 to 10,
right number from 0 to 6).
Above the table are two lines of abbreviated Latin, and there is one
below. The first line suggests that the table was started in 1505 and
finished in 1523 (I think - my Latin does not stretch to abbreviated
or calligraphic forms too well).
The column headers (numbers 2 to 12) are simple to interpret,
particularly since the author has provided us with pictures of two
dice to the left of the table. One dice has the numbers 3, 4 and 6
showing, the other numbers 1, 2 and 5. Clearly, the sum of two dice
is to be indexed on the columns, and that random letters/numbers are
the result. It is worth noting that the sum of two dice produces a
symmetrical distribution favouring the central numbers of the sequence-
Sum of Frequency
two dice (nearest 1%)
2 3%
3 6%
4 8%
5 11%
6 14%
7 17%
8 14%
9 11%
10 8%
11 6%
12 3%
Thus, if the table was used to generate random letters or numbers, the
central values (occurring in the 6, 7 and 8 columns) would dominate
the results. This could lead to the impression of structure within a
random sequence.
The row headers (numbers 1 to 19) are much harder to interpret.
Generating numbers within this range with dice is in no way simple, so
the numbers almost certainly refer to something else. The sequence of
the numbers is-
16, 9, 1, 14, 6, 2, 19, 8, 11, 5, 17, 3, 10, 7, 12, 18, 4, 13, 15
No two sequential numbers are next to each other (or, in fact, within
two 'places' of each other – a fact which eliminates a chance
arrangement. Try writing the numbers 1 to 19 in a list such that no
number is within two stops of a number one higher or one lower and
you'll probably agree). It is possible that the author created the
contents of the table prior to assigning the row headers, and sought
to 'space out' the row designations as far as possible.
The letters within the table's cells are limited to just 11 patterns;
a, ag, b, ba, d, dr, e, f, fe, g and r. Some rows contain many
recurring letters (e.g. row 9 reads a-b-f-r-ba-r-e-e-e-e-r).
The pairs of numbers within the table seem to follow a vague set of
rules or patterns. Columns 9 and 10 have identical numbers. It can
also be seen that, wherever the pattern 10-1 occurs, the same pattern
occurs immediately underneath it, 7-6 always has 5-5 below it, 8-0
always has 9-0 below it, etc.
The letters seem to match the numbers. For example, the letter 'a'
is invariably seen with 9-0, the letter 'e' with 5-4 or 9-4, the
letter 'd' and the pattern 'dr' with 8-3, etc.
The pairings of letters and numbers are thus:
a(9-0)
ag(8-0)
b(6-1)
b(10-1)
ba(10-1)
d(7-3)
d(8-3)
dr(8-3)
e(5-4)
e(9-4)
f(6-5)
fe(5-5)
g(7-6)
r(7-2)
It may be significant that the numbers in the letter pairs range from
0 to 10 (there being 11 letter forms found in the grid).
Anyway, so much for this afternoon,
Rob
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