The Voynich Manuscript as an Andalusian Pharmaceutical Codex: A Paleographic-Morphological Analysis

This study presents a paleographic-morphological approach to the Voynich Manuscript (Beinecke MS 408), proposing it as an Andalusian pharmaceutical codex from the 15th century. Through anatomical analysis of botanical illustrations and laboratory diagrams, and their correlation with Ibn al-Baytar's Kitab al-Jami' li-Mufradat al-Adwiya wa al-Aghdhiya (d. 1248 CE), the study proposes a structural correspondence between the drawn symbols and Andalusian medical terminology. The botanical sections appear to represent real plants documented in Andalusian heritage, including Scammony (Convolvulus scammonia), Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum), and Plumbago (Plumbago europaea). The water diagrams (Folios 75r–80v) are analyzed as representations of distillation, filtration, and bathing techniques in Andalusian pharmaceutical practice. The textual ciphers are decoded according to a proposed phonetic encoding system (9 & 8). The study suggests that the Voynich Manuscript may be an organized pharmaceutical document reflecting the flourishing of medical sciences in Al-Andalus before the fall of Granada (1492), rather than an arbitrary puzzle.