The history of Tarot cards and their use is as fascinating as the cards themselves. It can also be as varied, disputed and downright murky as the cards! Does their origin lie with the Egyptians, or with the Gypsies? Were they used as a means to transmit esoteric mysteries only to initiates, or are they just a way to pass the time for idle card-players? Is all of the above true?
Tarot cards are so associated with gypsies it’s hard to imagine that one would need any other source of origin. Remember the movie “The Wolf Man” with Lon Chaney, Jr., and Maria Ouspenskaya and her pack of Tarot cards? That’s the iconic image of Tarot, in my mind at least. But the book, “Tarot Classic”, by Stuart R. Kaplan, says: “The precise origin of tarot cards is obscure”. He also goes on to say that “…the evidence is fairly substantive that the gypsy race did not extend its wanderings into Europe until after cards had been known there for some period of time.” Well, the association remains, and I think it’s fair to say that the gypsy’s certainly made Tarot cards their own.
So, back to theories and speculations on origins. Some of the earliest writings about Tarot say that they are of Egyptian origin, that the cards of the Major Arcana are an ancient Egyptian manuscript called the “Book of Thoth”. Other theories include links to the Kabbalah, the Crusaders, Indians, Arabs, Moors and Saracens. Cards and decks from the 13th, 14th and 15th century exist that are from Venice, Paris, Milan, Florence, and Mantegna. Many of these early decks show much of the same imagery on the cards of the Major Arcana, and contain four suits similar to how a traditional Tarot deck is composed today. While essentially the same in composition, the artwork on the decks are vastly different, each reflecting the style of its personal place of origin.
Posted by Mari. The postcard was bought in Paris in 2005.
June 2, 2007 at 3:05 pm |
Later history ot tarot cards mentions a Catholic priest and teacher, Eliphas Levi, as creating a base for a more modern tarot. Although Levi was trained for priesthood, he made a point of also studying Jewish, Hindu, Polish and Masonic religions as well as astrology, astronomy and metaphysics.
When Levi made his first deck, it was with the intention of using it as a teaching device for his students. He incorporated religions, the four elements of nature, astrological events and symbols. He claimed there were also references to the Bible.
My mother claims her father and father-in-law had decks of Tarot-type cards taken from Italy in hand combat during WWI. She says they were burned as soon as they were shown to relatives. I called my mother this morning and she confirmed the story, reluctantly. I have some doubts, but you never know.
The Catholic Church (I am Catholic and checked with the Catechism,) claims that the first commandment says to only love God, not false gods. The use of divination tools, including tarot cards, is considered a mortal sin. (My poor soul!) It does note that newspaper horoscopes or fortune cookies are exceptions.
Considering Father Levi was one of the (supposed) originators of modern tarot, he stirred up lots of trouble with his ‘devil’s cards,’ and was condemned to hell by his Bishop.
One can always find such interesting things in the pursuit of knowledge.
Bo
June 5, 2007 at 9:22 am |
Obviously I have known of Tarot cards for a long time but my first real introduction to them and their use as a tool to assist writing was when a professor of English gave a presentation at a Jungian course I did ten years ago. She talked about the narrative that underpins them and I was utterly fascinated.