Tarot history is intended to be a serious discussion of anything related to the history of tarot, from its beginnings and precursors, including playing cards, up to today. Apr 04, 2015 click history for an illustrated story of tarot s invention and development. One can see how the occult interpretations came later in the tarots history and yet how these philosophies hark back to the beginnings of hermeticism. There are other histories that address how the cards developed and the progression of the decks and the games they were used for, but this book does a great job of tracing the use of the tarot by occult practitioners. This was one of many tarot history and playing card history books i am collecting. The oldest group of surviving tarot cards, called tarocchi in italian, appears to date from 1420 to 1450 tarocchi italian, plural form of tarocco also known as tarock germanaustrian name and tarot french name, is a specific form of playing card deck, which in its history was used for different tricktaking games and also for cartomantic interests and. This book was one of the first to try to match the tarot cards with astrology. The pack of cards, known as the tarocco, is made up of 22 major enigmas, whose figures represent a synthesis of the mysteries of life. A history of the tarot according to four main topics. With parents who were both therapists, i instantly recognized that tarot was a tool with great potential for helping people grapple with the changing circumstances in their lives. A popular belief exists that the tarot originated in ancient egypt, but in fact it originated in italy in the middle ages. Renaissance tarot and the viscontesforza tarots 18th 19th c french. Unfortunately for tarot cards, the majority of people know little, to nothing, about its history. For an indepth exploration of each trump card look in the iconography section.
Beginning with the history of tarot cards, we then move onto the history of the magickal and occult systems later attached to the tarot images. If anything, the tale of myth making becomes more revealing of the absurdities of occult tarot that had dominated english speakers perception of. If you buy one book on the tarot, let it be this one. Whether youre a collector, researcher, or card reader, your love of tarot connects you to an ancient legacy. This can be especially important if you are in a new home or if you have created a garden and you need to establish a connection that creates a giveandtake and bonds you to the land. Since the origins are so murky and since the influence of several cultures is evident even in the earliest decks, anyone who claims to know the. No one knows when and where tarot was first practiced. The tarot is one of the few books that cuts through conventional misperceptions to explore the tarot deck as it really developed in the middle ages and renaissance europenot, as some would suggest, in the far reaches of egyptian antiquity. Now hard to get, but a good guide to tarot history to the modern day. Kaplan helped renew interest in card reading with his 1977 book, tarot cards for.
Dec 15, 2017 no one knows when and where tarot was first practiced. An occult history of the tarot is a somewhat controversial book intended to dispel misinformation on the origins of tarot. Recommended tarot books the tarosophy tarot association. The cartomancy section teaches you how to read with historic decks. What struck me about this book was that not only does it endeavor to set down a solid foundation for the history and symbolism of the tarot, it is itself a part of the. Over the years tarot card reading has become very popular. The oldest group of surviving tarot cards, called tarocchi in italian, appears to date from 1420 to 1450 tarocchi italian, plural form of tarocco also known as tarock germanaustrian name and tarot french name, is a specific form of playing card deck, which in its history was used for different tricktaking games and also for cartomantic interests and divination concrete. Tarot has a rich history and following in many cultures, from its origins in 14th century europe to its modern worldwide incarnation online. Jun 02, 2018 the tarot is misunderstood to be a frivolous science, when in fact learning tarot is a lifelong, personal journey through the wisdom of the ages, aka history, religion, mythology, symbolism, and much more, making reading basically essential to learning tarot after all, this is tarot reading. Tarot cards probably originated in italy in the 14th century since the earliest known explanation of their usage dates to 91.
The tarot is therefore a hieroglyphic and numeric alphabet originally reserved for the high priests, expressing a primordial universal wisdom, from which the various cultures and religions evolved. Now is the time to reaffirm and renew your bond with the land. History, symbolism, and divination kindle edition by michael place, robert. The tarot has a very long history going back centuries, there have been many, many theories however none have yet been proven. In keeping with the misplaced belief that such cards were derived from the book of thoth, etteillas tarot contained themes related to ancient egypt. Tarot card reading is the practice of using tarot cards to gain insight into the past, present or future by formulating a question, then drawing and interpreting cards. I hope this website will deepen your appreciation of tarot history and inspire you to preserve this heritage as we move into the 21 st. Best tarot books for beginners insightful psychics. It was about time as the book format really has the advantage of practicability and manageability over the downloaded. After reading this book and looking at the keywords and associations in my popular books on tarot, i can see how little credibility most of them have. A swiss clergyman by the name of antoine court degebelin published a book titled le monde primitif, in 1781 taking a closer look at the symbolism of tarot cards. History of the tarot tarot by the gypsy and tarot by the. There are numerous theories regarding which culture, country, and time period produced the first tarot deck.
The encyclopedia of tarot by stuart kaplan the series contains much history and illustrations of decks through the ages. The history of the tarot is presented clearly and sensibly unlike other books i have read in the past. Maybe even dating back to the time of the egyptians. Jan 22, 2019 a history of the tarot according to four main topics. The best books on riderwaitesmith based tarot decks. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The tarot is a pack of playing cards, used from the mid15th century in various parts of europe.
As a tarot reader, i am continually seeking new ways to educate myself on the. One can see how the occult interpretations came later in the tarot s history and yet how these philosophies hark back to the beginnings of hermeticism. If youre persnickety about historical accuracy and want to cut through the occult legends and myths. Llewellyns complete book of the riderwaitesmith tarot delves deeply into the roots of these influential cards, exploring how waite and smith brought together an enchanting set of esoteric symbols and formed a magical deck that has guided, inspired, validated, and challenged the countless readers and seekers who have sought its wisdom. First world tarot congress in chicago organized by janet berres. Through this book, i have a much deeper understanding of the meaning behind the tarot s images, and will carry that knowledge into my future tarot. It may have come from the book of thoth, a legendary book said to contain powerful spells and mystical knowledge. The tarot is one of the few books that cuts through conventional misperce. This was later picked up by occult practitioners occult means hidden such as alistair crowley and waite of the riderwaite deck. Although the tarot is the most widely used book of images in the world for the purpose of fortunetelling, many people are oblivious to its origins. This is a great book for beginners and experienced tarot readers. This is due in large part to the fact that tarot cards suffer from being misunderstood or ostracized by the historical community as being a joke and not worthy of their time. Waite in his book the pictorial key to the tarot 1910, and they have become standard for most of the englishspeaking world. History of tarot cards know about tarot card reading.
This work began in 1970 when i purchased a used deck of the 20th century tarot in a book shop in salem, oregon. Furthermore, the history contributes little or nothing to our present subject, which is the understanding of the meanings of the 78 cards of tarot, especially as they apply to divination. The tarot is one of the few books that cuts through conventional misperceptions to explore the tarot deck as it really developed in the middle ages and. Therefore, regarding origins, it should be sufficient to mention that, by the time. The word tarot and german tarock derive from the italian tarocchi, the origin.
Includes images of the riderwaitesmith deck of each card. Regionspecific suit signs of tarot and ordinary playing cards. Best tarot books 19 books meet your next favorite book. What every newbie tarot reader should know about the history. The essential reading for starting to look at the psychology of tarot through jungian thought. This book picks up where a wicked pack of cards leaves off, taking up the story from the end of the 19th century to tell the story of the second hundred years of the occult beliefs surrounding tarot. Some believe that tarot was invented in ancient egypt because many of its symbols are linked to egyptian lore. The history of tarot cards catholic education resource. He determined that they were related to magic and occult history, specifically tying them to the history and mythology of ancient egypt. Through this book, i have a much deeper understanding of the meaning behind the tarots images, and will carry that knowledge into my future tarot.
The cards depicted in this book are only one set of the many that have appeared during the long history of the tarot. He determined that they were related to magic and occult history, specifically tying. There are 78 cards in all they are divided into 2 groups, the major arcanna, arcanna means secrets, and the minor arcanna. This is a great history of the tarot and how it has been used by different occult societies and practitioners. The origin of the tarot is a topic often clouded in mystery. Beginning with a theoretical section, it then discusses each card. History, symbolism, and divination by robert place. The book was written to accompany arnell andos tarot tour of italy in 2015, and includes maps and locations of places that are of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the tarot. Melanie scortio joan bunnings tarot course, although available since 1995 on her website, only came out in a book format in 1998, just before i bought it. The earliest tarot card decks were beautiful, handpainted works of art, while the latest decks can be as flashy, colorful or cartoonish as we can imagine. Gaia media reading origins of the tarot was a bodymindspirit resonance of bliss with the beloved for me. The books a wicked pack of cards followed by the history of occult tarot in 2002, as well as research into tarot history by michael dummett and independent researchers who share their findings online, debunk occultist theories of tarots ancient origins.
Recommended tarot books for beginners learning the tarot. It helps me to put together a talk on card history for tarot fan group. General book of the tarot, free pdf, ebook global grey. The book was written to accompany arnell andos tarot tour of italy in 2015, and includes maps and locations of places that are of interest in tarot history and development. The earliest tarot card decks were beautiful, handpainted works of art, while the latest decks can be as flashy, colorful or. In 1791, jeanbaptiste alliette, a french occultist, released the first tarot deck designed specifically for divinatory purposes, rather than as a parlor game or entertainment. The book delves deeply into the historical context and mystical nature of the tarot imagery and symbolism, attributing neoplatonism to the conceptual roots of the tarot. For one thing, because it first appeared in europe in the early 1400s in the form of cards, the early evidence is understandably altered and fragmented. This book has long been a staple for french readers interested in tarot history and the early decks. Auger contains an essential timeline of tarot history by mary k. Mar 24, 2005 this is a great book for beginners and experienced tarot readers. The first 175 pages are a little more dense than most popular books on tarot, but that is because place presents a history of the tarot based on his wonderful ability to synthesize a wide variety of reputable sources on the tarot. One of the earliest reference to tarot triumphs, and probably the first reference to tarot as the devils picture book, is given by a dominican preacher in a fiery sermon against the evils of the devils instrument. Llewellyns complete book of the riderwaitesmith tarot.
As the history and origins of the tarot are still unknown and every foreword of almost every tarot instruction book has a different take on it, its not vital that a newbie know the origins. The books profound learning and unprecedented range of references are sure to attract close study among students both of the worlds most enduring esoteric tradition and of esotericism itself. Mar 17, 2005 if you buy one book on the tarot, let it be this one. That said, i would recommend farleys book to anyone sincerely interested in reading about the history of tarot. His book entitled le monde primitif the primitive world is considered the work that gave rise to the occultism linked to the tarot le monde primitif, volume viii, 1781. The tarot derives directly from the hieroglyphics of the book of thoth and represents a synthesis of egyptian knowledge and religion. The alignment of the celestial princes and barons with the four orders.
History of the tarot history of tarot cards history of. The tarot travel guide of italy takes the reader on an incredible historical journey through the renaissance roots of the tarot. The tarot is misunderstood to be a frivolous science, when in fact learning tarot is a lifelong, personal journey through the wisdom of the ages, aka history, religion, mythology, symbolism, and much more, making reading basically essential to learning tarot after all, this is tarot reading. The tarot of marseille and the french tradition 19992020 editions boutique. Kaplan helped renew interest in card reading with his 1977 book, tarot cards for fun and fortune telling, and has since written several volumes on tarot. The first 175 pages are a little more dense than most popular books on tarot, but that is because place presents a history of the tarot based on his wonderful ability to synthesize a wide variety of. Understanding the history, practice, and wisdom of tarot. Another feature of this book is a comparison of characteristics attributed to each card by some of the previous writers such as waite and papus. A fairly straightforward book on the history of various, notable tarot decks, as well as on the history of certain philosophical practices and ideals that lent themselves to the symbols of the tarot.