What is a manuscript is difficult to say for sure. Basically, this word is associated with the Middle Ages. In general, this is true, many ancient manuscripts really came to us from those times. And although the origin of the manuscripts is mostly fairly transparent, they still carry a lot of amazing surprises.
Origin
What is a manuscript best explains the origin of the term. "Manu" - translated from Latin means "hand", "script" - "letter". Thus, a manuscript means a manuscript.
Before the invention of the printing press, all texts were handwritten. The work of the census takers was rated very highly. Precious manuscript books were chained with heavy chains to the church altars, handwritten family Bibles were kept under locks. Information of the current nature was recorded on sheets of paper. There were also notes on more expensive materials - papyrus and parchment. Such ancient manuscripts have been preserved in a much more readable form. For beauty and clarity, they were illustrated with colorful images of people, animals, plants, fictional creatures. Sometimes the picture in the text was purely decorative, but basically the illustrations carried a semantic load and explained what was written.
Manuscripts-Prayers
The manuscripts saved and transmitted information that was considered too important and secret for oral communication. Manuscripts-prayer books are known, which the nobility and the clergy used during prayers. Carrying books to church was very inconvenient because of their severity and high cost. Therefore, manuscripts with the texts of all necessary prayers and psalms were taken to the church. Manuscripts with prayers were sent by the Pope as a precious gift to the monarchs and representatives of the nobility. To have such a manuscript was very prestigious, because it proved the personal favor of the Pope, and therefore God.
Mascot Manuscripts
Despite the total dominance of religious dogmas and rules, in the Middle Ages talismans and amulets were very popular. It was believed that they will help protect the body and soul from evil forces, drive away pain and improve health. The manuscript-talisman is described in medieval chronicles and legends. For example, the secret manuscript Enchiridie is known. This is an Italianized reading of the Latin name, which means “Red Dragon”. This collection of conspiracies from toothache was donated in 800 to Charles the Great by Pope Leo III and cost a fortune.
Secret manuscripts
Not all manuscripts were written in an understandable and accessible language. The manuscripts of alchemists, for example, are full of allegories and names of obscure elements. To record chemical reactions, a secret language was used, inaccessible to the uninitiated. The names of herbs and components were recorded in an explosive mixture of local languages and vulgar Latin. If we add here the general illiteracy of the population, it becomes clear that reading medieval manuscripts is very difficult. Deciphering the long-known and recently found manuscripts requires truly encyclopedic knowledge. But even an excellent education does not guarantee the only correct reading of the document.
Voynich manuscript
In 1912, the Polish antiquarian and second-hand book dealer V. Voynich presented an amazing manuscript written in an unknown language. In addition to obscure texts, the pages of the document contained images of plants and animals unknown in medieval Europe. Scientists still have not deciphered the language in which the manuscript is written. The mysterious text contains grammatical constructions that were absent in European languages. The non-European origin of the manuscript was confirmed by images of flora and fauna.
By comparison, scientists were able to find out that plants from the manuscript are widespread in North America, in particular in the territory of modern Mexico, and in Europe at that time they were completely unknown. And the language in which the text is written in some places surprisingly resembles the Aztec dialect.
A full explanation of what the Voynich manuscript is and how it appeared in Poland has not yet been presented. Perhaps this will require more knowledge than we currently have.