The encrypted inscriptions of Pisa (1)
In Pisa there are three inscriptions from the Middle Ages whose meaning is not known. Last week I had the opportunity to look at these enigmatic cryptograms in the original.
What does a tourist do in Pisa? Of course, you look around for encrypted inscriptions. There are three of them in Pisa, as you could already read on Cipherbrain.
The inscriptions of Barga, Lucca and Pisa
But one after the other. A few months ago, while googling, I came across an encrypted inscription in Barga, a city in Italy. This cryptogram is on the outer wall of the cathedral there.
Quelle/Source: Public Domain
As can be seen, the inscription consists of only one short line, which is repeated twice. The crosses are probably separators.
Cipherbrain reader Thomas Bosbach pointed out to me that an Italian website mentions four other inscriptions with the same content. One of them is in Lucca, three others in Pisa. All five inscriptions are listed in the Cryptographic Travel Guide, a website of Christian Baumann and me.
Quelle/Source: Open Street Map
Last week, as part of a trip to Italy, I had the opportunity to spend a day in Pisa. There I met up with my Italian colleague and Cipherbrain reader Paolo Bonavoglia. Needless to say, we went in search of the inscriptions.
The inscription in the Museo di San Matteo
The first inscription is in the Museo di San Matteo, located right on the Arno River.
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
Paolo called there beforehand and inquired. Although they could confirm that the inscription existed and was exhibited there, otherwise the museum staff knew practically nothing on the subject. Apparently, no one had ever been interested in this exhibit.
At the museum, the inscription was quickly found. It is on a stone that was originally attached to a church that no longer exists.
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
A look at the stone reveals that the cryptogram is only part of the inscription. The top three lines are relevant:
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
And here is the encrypted inscription in close-up:
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
The inscription on the church of San Salvatore
From the Museo di San Matteo it is only a few hundred meters to the church of San Salvatore. There is another inscription of this kind.
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
The inscription can be found to the left of the entrance. Paolo and I had no trouble discovering it.
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
However, no sign indicates the existence of the inscription, and no explanation is found. Here is the cryptogram in close-up:
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
The inscription on the Baptistery
I don’t know if my readers knew: In Pisa there is a leaning tower to admire. I also visited this one and took a very original photo:
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
By the way, the Leaning Tower stands right next to the Pisa Cathedral. The Baptistery, the largest baptistery in the world, also belongs to the same building complex.
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
On the Baptistery there is the third and last inscription of this kind in Pisa. It is placed on the outside, to the left of one of the entrances. Again, the inscription is easy to find, although nothing points to it and no one seems interested in it. The view of the inscription is also obstructed by an information board.
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
And here’s a close-up:
Quelle/Source: Schmeh
What’s behind them?
I had great fun searching for the three inscriptions in Pisa. Besides, I could also pay a visit to the Leaning Tower on this occasion.
Oh yes, it would still be of interest what these strange cryptograms mean. To my knowledge this is still not known. In the next few days, I will discuss some possible explanations in another blog article. In the meantime, I will gladly accept comments on this topic.
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Further reading: Unsolved: Two encrypted inscriptions mentioned in an old Masonic book
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