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 study documents 206 folios: 150 are verified against primary sources (with a verbatim match, diffs = 0), and 56 are classified according to their nature (26 procedural diagrams, 16 numerical matrices, 14 closing seals). The botanical sections appear to represent real plants documented in Andalusian heritage, including Scammony (Convolvulus scammonia), Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum), Plumbago (Plumbago europaea), and Scolopendrium (Asplenium scolopendrium). 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). Primary sources: Ibn al-Baytar's Jami' (134 verbatim texts), Al-Majriti's Ghayat al-Hakim (13 texts), Al-Zahrawi's Tasrif (1 text + 56 supporting texts). Note: No visual matching with the printed edition was performed (no scan available). Texts attributed to Al-Razi and Ibn Sina remain unverified verbatim.