TAROT CARDS HISTORY & ORIGINS
Tarot Cards ancient Egypt connection, Tarot Cards Kabbalah connection, Tarot Cards in Middle Age European occult, esoteric and mystic practices, Tarot divination and Roma Gypsies
Astrology, Cabala & Tarot are the most essential techniques used in Western mysticism. If you desire to study Western mysticism, it is best to explore these three techniques together, letting them complement each other.
Tarot Cards Reading Success has its historical origins. The deeply meaningful symbolic system has absorbed the elements of many occult and mystical knowledges.
One can get aesthetic pleasure just by looking at those cards, having both artistic beauty and mystery.
There are numerous legends and studies, interpreting the origin of Tarot cards in quite different ways.
Historical research based on contemporary & scientific methods shows that Tarot first appeared in Europe in the first half of the 15th century. The first documented mention of these cards was made by a notary from Florence in 1440.
Two decks of Tarot were presented to the famous Italian condottiero & nobleman Sigismondo Malatesta.
On their basis, with the addition of elements, medieval deck of 78 Visconti-Sforza Tarot cards were created.
Each card had a description for the main aspects: business, medical, love, psychological, becaming the prototype for the modern Tarot.
Decks of the XV century are truly artsy and unique. Handmade, luxurious design and materials. As a rule, they were created for aristocrats.
In the 60s of the XV century appear two decks of cards, created by Italian artists. Each consists of 50 engravings on copper.
The structure of The Mantegna Tarocchi, also known as the Tarocchi Cards is based on the Cabbalistic understanding of the universe known as the 50 Gates of Binah.
But the question how Tarot came to Europe remains a mystery. Modern researchers have two versions:
Egyptian version:
Several thousand years ago in the Egyptian kingdom there was a temple consisting of 22 rooms. On the walls of each room there were paintings that later became the basis for the Great Arcana of the Tarot. This legend also corresponds well with the version about the origin of the Tarot cards from the ancient book of Thoth, because images from this book were applied to sacred Egyptian tombs.
The origin of the Tarot from Egypt was first mentioned in the 18th century by the French writer and esoteric Antoine Court de Gébelin (1725 – 1784).
He wrote:
“Tarot. A card game common in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. It is an Egyptian game, as we shall one day show; this name consists of two Oriental words, Tar and Rha (Rho), and means, the royal way”
However, later (from 1799-1822) famous Egyptian Rosetta Stone was discovered and many Egyptian writings were deciphered. The words Tar and Rha have not been found in the Egyptian language. This casted doubt on the Egyptian version of the origin of the Tarot.
Kabbalah Version:
The connection between Tarot and the ancient Kabbalah was established in the nineteenth century by Eliphas Levi, a magician and philosopher.
The twenty-two letters and 10 original numbers in the Kabbalah are the basis of the Tarot system. In fact each of the Tarot Cards from the Major Arcana subset has a certain specified meaning related to the meaning of Kabbalah Tree Of Life paths.
Tarot Ancient Origins.
Some occultists claim that Tarot cards were used for divination already several millennia ago. First documented evidence of Tarot predictions in Europe dates back to the 16th century. After another century, Tarot divination covers almost all of Europe. The fortune-telling value of the cards from this time is undeniable.
Tarot is a source of secret knowledge.
In the Tarot cards, the symbols of the Kabbalah are present to a greater extent. This leads researchers to the idea that the cards come from the most ancient civilizations and they are encrypted secret knowledge.
As a special occult system, Tarot cards begin to be considered from the end of the XVIII century. This was facilitated by the work of the esoteric writer Antoine Court de Gébelin, who initiated the interpretation of the Tarot as an arcane repository of timeless esoteric wisdom in 1781.
The Tarot de Marseille Cards became a model for the creation of decks, for occult practices and researches.
Roma Gypsies and Tarot Cards Divination.
The Roma Gypsy people are a nomadic tribe, traditionally associated with fortune telling, shamanism, witchcraft and magic.
It’s believed that Roma Gypsy people brought fortune telling rituals and traditions to Europe. Gypsies considered Tarot divination as a science of realization and understanding which could be read by those who understood its mysterious and symbolic language.
Tarot Beginner Guide: Tarot Cards Reading For Beginners Chapter 1
