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from: A Brief History of Tarot Cards:Unlocking the Mystery


When trying to create a history of Tarot cards, there are many
holes in the available facts and much of what remains is
guesswork. In terms of the history of Tarot, Tarot cards likely
evolved as secretive way of passing along hidden teachings. A
common idea put forth is that Tarot cards evolved as a way for
teachers and students from a variety of countries and cultures
to share universal knowledge. With different languages and
levels of literacy, a pictorial guide was necessary in order to
share spiritual truths.

The earliest remnants of a Tarot deck date back to the 1390's;
from the original deck, only 17 cards still remain. In around
1420, an Italian artist, Bonifacio Bembo, painted what is the
only full deck that has survived to modern times. Commissioned
originally by the Duke of Milan, this early deck is now known as
the Visconti deck, named after the Duke's family.

While it is unlikely that Tarot cards were in existence prior
to this time, the concepts illustrated in Tarot pictures are
universal and have been around for thousands of years, in common
knowledge as well as in myth and legend. While many of the
images in Tarot decks are common to the Medieval period (the
Fool, The Pope and Judgment), many of the other archetypes
present including the High Priestess point to a pre-Christian
system with roots in far older times. The need for secretive
spiritual practice has been necessary for survival for thousands
of years. The fact that the Major Arcana presents symbols that
show powerful men and women highly suggest that it
significantly predates Christianity.

To be labeled a religious heretic in Medieval Europe meant
torture or death. Recording alternate beliefs through a
pictorial key allowed these teachings to survive and created a
safer way to pass this information -with less chance of
retribution.

In the Renaissance period, a practice was developed based on
ancient Greek teachings which was a pictorial memory system.
Working with this became integral to occult teachings at this
time and was commonly used to assist in meditation.

In later periods, astrology, gnosticism, Kaballah and magick
have all been attached to the history of Tarot cards. These
practices, along with modern psychology, have played a role in
developing the meanings of each Tarot card. Many of the the
Tarot spreads and individual card meanings were reinterpreted
during the occult revival that occurred during the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries.

The Order of the Golden Dawn, a short-lived group of esoteric
magicians, played a particularly powerful role in this regard.
One member, A.E. Waite, created a pictorial key to the Tarot and
worked with another member, Pamela Colman Smith to create a new
Tarot deck, the Colman-Rider-Waite deck (AKA Rider-Waite Tarot
deck). Another prominent member, Aleister Crowley, also created
a Tarot guide and worked with a notable artist, Lady Frieda
Harris, to design and create the Thoth Tarot deck. Crowley
believed that the Major Arcana was based on images from the
Egyptian Book of Thoth -hence his deck's name.

Current history of Tarot cards will sometimes claim the cards
to be created for evil purpose or make them much older than they
are. While Tarot cards have been connected with various
religions and occult movements, there is nothing inherently evil
or negative about them. Working through the Tarot cards in the
Major Arcana is like moving through all the main phases of life,
both internal and external. This brief history of Tarot cards
should clear up some mystery about their past and give you the
opportunity of connecting with them in the present.

About the author: Lucy Barnett
An artist and writer, Lucy loves anything that makes her creative juices flow. Using her 20 years experience with the Tarot and as a professional clairvoyant, Lucy dreams of giving everyone the resources and encouragement needed to become their own guru. For everything needed in reading Tarot cards, from the meaning of each Tarot card, Tarot spreads, Tarot layouts and guides for interpreting Tarot, come to http://www.Discover-the-Meaning-of-Tarot.com! Copyright 2008 http://www.discover-the-meaning-of-tarot.com

 

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