Origins of Tarot cards and images

[Tony Furze]

Where can I find more out about the origins of the images used on the Traditional Tarot card designs?

Thanks

[gayla]

Tony, that is a broad subject?  Which 'traditional' deck or you focusing on?

[Tony Furze]

Hello,gayla.

Thanks for the reply! Im using the Rider Waite deck at present, so that one would be good.

But Im interested in a connection between Tarot and Islam-eg Egypt perhaps.

[maplewoman]

I often wonder if they are all the same, the meanings anyway. The different decks pictures differ slightly between some and greatly between others. I have the rider waite cards and they are similar to other cards I have seen. The oracle cards I recieved for christmas are much more fun for me I really get into the pictures of the dolphins and mermaids this deck has a better resonance with me. I know these cards are nothing like my rider waite cards and are called oracle cards for reasons still unknown to me. I am not sure whether the symbolism on the rider waite tarot deck is subliminaly recognized but it means nothing to me personally. In The oracle cards I see myself and feel the feelings associated with the words maybe because they are mostly female figures not male.If you are interested the deck I mainly use now is Magical Mermaids and Dolphins by Doreen Virtue Ph.D. There is information on all the artists in the back of the book and the card meanings are simple. I found a site the other day with all the ancient symbols and their meanings but I cant remember what it is called maybe search for symbol dictionary/encyclopedia, the internet is great for this stuff.

[lfrett]

I have a book called 'The Complete Guide to the Tarot' by Eden Gray.  It has an interesting section on the history of the Tarot from the Gypsies to Kabalists, and even a reference to the Egyptians after the destruction of the Library at Alexandria.  Unfortunately though, most references to the Tarot's history are just conjecture because there is no specific written history of the Tarot.

I have another book called the 'Tarot Bible' by Sarah Bartlett that shows the history of the Tarot dating from approximately the 14th century in Europe.  It says that the Rider-Waite deck wasn't created until the 19th century.  There is a very interesting section of this book that goes over the history of some of the more popular Tarot Decks.

[Gem]

I think a lot of the meanings are the same, deck for deck. but most have a flow and story through them, RW talks of the fool journeying through life, many Egyptian decks focus on Osiris and Isis and their journey. Other tarot focus on the powers of flowers or animals or crystals.