Voynich manuscript

Evidence of retouching of text on page 3; f1r Retouching of drawing on page 131; f72v3

The Voynich manuscript is an illustrated codex, hand-written in an unknown script referred to as Voynichese. The vellum on which it is written has been carbon-dated to the early 15th century (1404–1438). Stylistic analysis has indicated the manuscript may have been composed in Italy during the Italian Renaissance. The origins, authorship, and purpose of the manuscript are still debated, but currently scholars lack the translation(s) and context needed to either properly entertain or eliminate any of the possibilities. Hypotheses range from a script for a natural language or constructed language, an unreadable code, cipher, or other form of cryptography, or perhaps a hoax, reference work (i.e. folkloric index or compendium), glossolalia, or work of fiction (e.g. science fantasy or mythopoeia, metafiction, and speculative fiction).