When it comes to the history of the Tarot, its exact origins are unknown. Different theories exist as to how these cards of divination first came to be. In fact, the original cards may have been created for game playing purposes.
History of Tarot
One theory is that Gypsies introduced the Tarot to Europe. This idea was introduced by Vaillant who spent several years amongst the Gypsies during which time he received instructions on their traditional lore. According to Lewis Spence, the author of The Encyclopedia of the Occult, when it comes to Vaillant's claims, "Much of the information thus obtained is incorporated in Les Rómes, histoire vraie des vrais Bohémiems (c. 1853), La Bible des Bohémiens (1860), and La Clef Magique de la Fiction et du Fait (1863)."
Supporting his claim is French writer Papus who states that Tarot is a card game and refers to the cards as the "Bible of all Bibles." He believes that the cards were first introduced by people of Indian descent. This being from the country of India, not Native Americans.
Origin of Tarot Cards
The earliest records of the cards are from the early 14th century. Possible Tarots may have been created by painter Jacquemin Gringonneur for King Charles VI of France in 1392. Another theory is that the first cards may have originated in Milan and were designed for the Visconti and Visconti-Sforza families. They only included the Major Arcana.
A notion that the cards were pieces of the Book of Thoth, have been laid to rest. Tarots have even been connected to the Kabbalah with the claim that the Major Arcana corresponds with letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Tarot Cards History
It is also speculated that the cards originated in a country with Orthodox Eastern Church beliefs due to the belief that the Pope is allegedly portrayed in the cards. Is it possible that the original cards represent a King and his court? This could help explain images which include a queen and a fool.
Also in question is the original purpose of the cards. Popular today for giving psychic readings, the initial cards, which are known as tarocci, were used to play an Italian game. Due to the lack of historical evidence, the exact origin of the Tarot card deck is unknown. Many theories abound, although the bottom line is that it is merely speculation. What is known is that today, Tarot cards are a popular way of getting glimpses into the past, present and future.
Readers may also enjoy Rider Waite Tarot Cards – Learning Tarot Cards, along with How and Where to Buy a Deck of Tarot Cards and How to Learn Tarot Cards – Tarot Made Easy.
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of the Occult, Lewis Spence, (Braken Books,) 1988
- Harper's Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, (HarperSanFrancisco,) 1991
Janis Masyk-Jackson - I'm here to seek out the truth about some of life's mysteries. There is nothing new about New Age beliefs. These are beliefs that have ...
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