Multispectral Imaging and the Voynich Manuscript

Recent advancements in multispectral imaging have provided new insights into the Voynich Manuscript, a mysterious medieval text housed at Yale's Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. This imaging technique captures non-visible wavelengths, such as ultraviolet and infrared, which can reveal faded or obscured text. A team from The Lazarus Project was granted access to image ten specific pages of the manuscript in 2014, but the results were not publicly available until now. The processed images, which enhance legibility, have revealed previously unseen inscriptions, including a clear inscription of "Jacobi à Tepenecz" on the first page, confirming its ownership by a Prague alchemist in the 16th century. Additionally, the imaging has uncovered three columns of text in the right-hand margin, consisting of Roman letters and Voynich characters, suggesting an early attempt to decode the manuscript. The analysis of these letters indicates a possible connection to Johannes Marcus Marci, a historical figure associated with the manuscript. The imaging results highlight the potential of multispectral imaging in manuscript studies, allowing scholars to explore and interpret texts that have long remained enigmatic.

- Multispectral imaging reveals previously obscured text in the Voynich Manuscript.

- The first page includes a confirmed inscription linking it to a 16th-century alchemist.

- Three columns of text have been uncovered, suggesting early decoding attempts.

- The findings may connect the manuscript to Johannes Marcus Marci.

- The imaging technique demonstrates significant potential for studying damaged historical texts.