Origins And History Of The Tarot

The origins of the Tarot are surrounded within Italy. The cards were called Carte da trionfi,
myth and lore. It is hard to know for sure whatwhich is Italian for cards of the triumphs. Later, a
the facts are. The Tarot has been thought tonew card game was introduced, called Trumps or
come from places like India, Egypt, China andTriumphs. As it was played with different cards,
Morocco. Others say the Tarot was brought tothe original Carte da trionfi became tarocco. In
us from the Sufis or the Jewish Cabbalists. StillFrench they were called tarot.
others contend that the origin of the tarot wasWhat are these cards that are shrouded in
from Moses. In the library of Alexandria, in Egypt,mysterious beginnings used for? Are they good
there were scrolls that were based on the Bookor evil? The Tarot is basically a set of symbols,
of Thoth, an ancient book that came fromwhich are printed on a pack of 78 cards. Regular
Egypts mystery schools. One theory is that theplaying cards have hearts, clubs, spades and
illustrations on the Tarot cards are secretdiamonds as suits. Tarot cards have different
teachings of the Book of Thoth hidden in thesuits, with meanings. The Wands (also known as
innocent pictures.staves or rods) point to creativity and energy.
It seems that wherever there was a secretThere are the Cups (or vessels), relating to
word of mouth tradition handed down fromemotions and friends; Swords cover the area of
teacher to pupil, it was hailed as the origin orchallenge and thought; the Pentacles (coins or
beginning of Tarot. A large group believed it wasdisks) relate to money and security. The cards
the Gypsies who brought the tarot to Europe, theare placed in a particular pattern. A Tarot reader
word gypsy being a corrupted version ofuses the cards as an oracle that can answer
Egyptian. That is highly unlikely, since evidencequestions from the past, present or future.
points to gypsies not using Tarot until the 20thThe philosophy behind the Tarot is that the future
century. Before that, palmistry was theiris subject to change. If you are given enough
preferred method of fortune telling.notice, you can avoid the event you are being
The Historical Evidence Behind the Origins of thewarned about. The Tarot makes you think, make
Tarotyou take steps that you might not have
It seems the only evidence there is to the originsconsidered. When you ask a question of the
of the Tarot can be found in the cards that wereTarot that relates to the future, youll be shown
made in Italy, around 1420. The symbolism of thewhat will happen if you dont change anything.
trumps can be found in the European art of theMany consider the Tarot cards as more of a
time, with some drawings being exactly thecounselling guide than a divining tool. Tarot
likeness of those found on Tarot cards.readings can provide flashes of inspiration where
History tells us that a scholar named Marziano daotherwise the problems the person may be facing
Torona, who was secretary to the Duke of Milan,may seem insurmountable.
may have invented the Tarot deck. Marziano wasDo the cards that are used today, all over the
a scholar and an expert astrologer. The youngworld come from the deck Marziano da Torona
duke, Filippo Maria Visconti instructed Marziano tocreated in the 1400s? Is the reason the origins of
create a game, using a deck that would replacethe Tarot are so shrouded in mystery owing to
the common suits of swords, coins, staves andAnima Mundi? The Anima Mundi or soul of the
cups. The duke wanted the new deck to haveworld is seen as the vital force that presides over
cards that represented virtues, riches, pleasuresthe growth and continuity of all living things. Like a
and purities. Marziano went on to create the cardUniversal library, it contains the entire human
deck that Visconti wanted. He wrote a companionraces memories and wisdom from the past,
book to go with the deck of cards. It is on displaypresent and future. It can be summoned with
in the Paris National library. In the book, there aredeep thought. Imagine all the basic figures one
no divine meanings to the cards, but no real rulescould find in all religions, myths, legends and
for a card game, either. The book focuses on thefolklore. When combined, this wealth of knowledge
symbolic meaning of the pictures and theis a powerhouse. To understand this more one
different ranks of the depicted characters.can look at the Empress card of the Tarot. The
Michelino da Besozzo is the Italian artist creditedvery essence of femininity is represented in the
with painting the cards.Empress - she is the great mother Goddess of
Is it plausible that the origins of the Tarot as thethe world. She represents the eternal feminine, in
curious card game invented by Marziano damyth and psychology. Does working with the
Torona? If so, why doesnt the book thatimages of the Tarot somehow allow our
accompanied the deck refer to the divination ofunconscious to connect with that human
the cards?collectiveness? Does the Tarot become a porthole
The Mystery Continues About The Origins of theto the storehouse of answers to any question
Tarotany of us has ever had? Perhaps it is because of
Where did the word Tarot come from? It hasthe mystical Anima Mundi that we cant pinpoint
been called a Hebrew, Latin or Egyptian word. Isthe origin of the Tarot with certainty.
the word Tarot really an anagram, which whenWe may never really know the true history or
solved explains the mystery of the cards? Oncethe origins of the Tarot. Nevertheless, we
again, the historical evidence of the origins of thecontinue to be attracted to the Tarots wisdom,
word points to where the cards first appeared -symbols and story.