It could be either a forgotten cipher or just a whimsical doodle. Look at the context—what words surround it, the style of the ink, and any repeating patterns. If it’s symmetrical or uses numbers in a strange way, it might be an old numbering system or a secret code used by a guild. If it feels random, it could simply be a scribe’s habit or a marginal note that slipped out of place. Cross‑reference with other manuscripts from the same period; sometimes a single glyph can unlock a whole network of meaning.