Changes

The Arabic game of Tarot migrated into Europe through the invasion of Africa, Spain and Sicily by the Islamic and Persian Malamuk army. These early card games of the Malamuk were called Naibi, a gambling card game which made reference to the Knight and Court cards. These early hand painted cards had four suits, known as the coins, the cups, the staves, and the swords, along with court suit cards.   

The Arabic game of Tarot migrated into Europe through the invasion of Africa, Spain and Sicily by the Islamic and Persian Malamuk army. These early card games of the Malamuk were called Naibi, a gambling card game which made reference to the Knight and Court cards. These early hand painted cards had four suits, known as the coins, the cups, the staves, and the swords, along with court suit cards.   

Evidence for the existence of tarot in Europe can be found as far back as the 14th century, where it was used as a game for gambling and card playing. One of the earliest records about tarot on record was found in Bohemia in 1354 C.E. created by the artist Jonathan Kraysel, and the 1423 hand painted deck from Ferrara Italy. In Italy, the card game was known as ''carte da Trionfi'', cards of Triumphs, or Trumps. The Trifoni deck was known to have existed in 1442 as a 70-card game played by the nobles of Italy.  

Evidence for the existence of tarot in Europe can be found as far back as the 14th century, where it was used as a game for gambling and card playing. One of the earliest records about tarot on record was found in Bohemia in 1354 A.D. created by the artist Jonathan Kraysel, and the 1423 hand painted deck from Ferrara Italy. In Italy, the card game was known as ''carte da Trionfi'', cards of Triumphs, or Trumps. The Trifoni deck was known to have existed in 1442 as a 70-card game played by the nobles of Italy.  

Hand Painted decks were purchased and used by royalty throughout medieval Europe. More common decks were available to the public when they were created by more economical means like block printing. The first decks which were printed on a press are recorded in documents found from Ferrara Italy in 1436. These cards were also commonly used in gambling games. The prohibition of tarot was an attempt by the church to incite morality, and in some cases, to collect money from fines by people who played tarot games.

Hand Painted decks were purchased and used by royalty throughout medieval Europe. More common decks were available to the public when they were created by more economical means like block printing. The first decks which were printed on a press are recorded in documents found from Ferrara Italy in 1436. These cards were also commonly used in gambling games. The prohibition of tarot was an attempt by the church to incite morality, and in some cases, to collect money from fines by people who played tarot games.

The oldest deck in existence is the The Cary-Yale Visconti Tarot. This deck, from the 15th century, was created for the Visconti-Sforza family, rulers of Milan. There are only sixty seven cards left of the original deck. The Visconti deck contains six court cards per suit, unlike the traditional system of tarot that decks use today.  

The oldest deck in existence is the The Cary-Yale Visconti Tarot. This deck, from the 15th century, was created for the Visconti-Sforza family, rulers of Milan. There are only sixty seven cards left of the original deck. The Visconti deck contains six court cards per suit, unlike the traditional system of tarot that decks use today.  

These cards are the King, The Queen, The Male Knight, The Female Knight, the Male Valet and the Female Valet. Some have theorized that this deck was created before the seventy-eight deck system was used, or that originally there were only sixteen trumps in the deck. The themes of this deck, like many other deck of the time were influenced by christian theology and painted with images of medieval life and royalty. The major arcana had cards which depicted images of the Three Christian Virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity.

These cards are the King, The Queen, The Male Knight, The Female Knight, the Male Valet and the Female Valet. Some have theorized that this deck was created before the seventy-eight deck system was used, or that originally there were only sixteen trumps in the deck. The themes of this deck, like many other deck of the time were influenced by Christian theology and painted with images of medieval life and royalty. The major arcana had cards which depicted images of the Three Christian Virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity.

====Tarot de Marseille====

====Tarot de Marseille====

====Antoine Court De Gébelin====

====Antoine Court De Gébelin====

Tarot was not generally used for divination until the late 18th century, when Antoine Court De Gébelin wrote about the origins of Tarot. De Gébelin was the son of a protestant minister from Switzerland. A patron of the arts and Sciences, De Gébelin was also a member of an esoteric order, the Philalèthes, a Freemason order with ties to the Elect Cohens. He was ordained as a Protestant pastor in 1754. De Gébelin traveled to France in 1762 where he undertook the work of writing and working as a protestant apologist in Paris for several years.

Tarot was not generally used for divination until the late 18th century, when Antoine Court De Gébelin wrote about the origins of Tarot. De Gébelin was the son of a Protestant minister from Switzerland. A patron of the arts and Sciences, De Gébelin was also a member of an [[esoteric]] order, the Philalèthes, a Freemason order with ties to the Elect Cohens. He was ordained as a Protestant pastor in 1754. De Gébelin traveled to France in 1762 where he undertook the work of writing and working as a Protestant apologist in Paris for several years.

De Gébelin first encountered the tarot in 1781 in Switzerland, where he connected the imagery of the tarot to occult concepts. De Gébelin's book, titled ''Le Monde Primitif, 1781'' made the claim that the tarot had an occult origin. He claimed that the twenty-two arcana were similar to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. He claimed that the tarot was an allegorical story that should be read from the twenty-second card, the world, to the first card which was known as madness [the fool]. He renamed the Popess card as the High Priestess and he renamed the pope card as the Heirophant. Court De Gébelin also modified the tarot by reversing the hanged man image of the tarot, so that the image represented Prudence, instead of sacrifice.

De Gébelin first encountered the tarot in 1781 in Switzerland, where he connected the imagery of the tarot to occult concepts. De Gébelin's book, titled ''Le Monde Primitif, 1781'' made the claim that the tarot had an occult origin. He claimed that the twenty-two arcana were similar to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. He claimed that the tarot was an allegorical story that should be read from the twenty-second card, the world, to the first card which was known as madness [the fool]. He renamed the Popess card as the High Priestess and he renamed the pope card as the Heirophant. Court De Gébelin also modified the tarot by reversing the hanged man image of the tarot, so that the image represented Prudence, instead of sacrifice.

De Gébelin wrote that the tarot had its origin in the lands of Egypt, where gypsies cultivated the use of tarot for divination and oracles. Historians dispute this because the occurrence of early christian medieval imagery in tarot disproves this theory.  De Gébelin's occult background allowed him to create the esoteric and mystical symbolism that tarot uses to this day.  

De Gébelin wrote that the tarot had its origin in the lands of Egypt, where gypsies cultivated the use of tarot for divination and oracles. Historians dispute this because the occurrence of early Christian medieval imagery in tarot disproves this theory.  De Gébelin's occult background allowed him to create the esoteric and mystical symbolism that tarot uses to this day.

====Jean-Baptiste Alliette====

====Jean-Baptiste Alliette====

====[[Eliphas Levi]] and the Tarot====

====[[Eliphas Levi]] and the Tarot====

The French occultist and writer Alphonse Louise Constant [1810], [Eliphas Levi, psuedonym] influenced occult revivalists of the 19th century like Crowley and Waite. Eliphas Levi had never created his own deck, but his perceptions on the origins and meaning of the tarot had influenced modern systems of tarot. By 1853, Levi was working as a journalist and giving lessons in occult theories. He adopted the name Eliphas Levi from a Hebrew translation of his own name. He attended a seminary in Paris where he trained to be a priest. While at the St. Sulpice seminary, he learned about the Devil, animal magnetism and energies, which lead to his study of the occult.

The French occultist and writer Alphonse Louise Constant [1810], [Eliphas Levi, pseudonym] influenced occult revivalists of the 19th century like Crowley and Waite. Eliphas Levi had never created his own deck, but his perceptions on the origins and meaning of the tarot had influenced modern systems of tarot. By 1853, Levi was working as a journalist and giving lessons in occult theories. He adopted the name Eliphas Levi from a Hebrew translation of his own name. He attended a seminary in Paris where he trained to be a priest. While at the St. Sulpice seminary, he learned about the Devil, animal magnetism and energies, which lead to his study of the occult.

Levi traveled to England in 1854, where he met the Rosicrucian author Baron Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Lytton was known for his writings on occult, mesmerism, astrology, clairvoyance and magic. Levi formed a partnership with him and this launched his career as an occult writer. he published the book, Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie in 1855 [Eliphas Levi's Transcendental Magic Its Doctrine and Ritual], which was translated and annotated by  Arthur Edward Waite  

Levi traveled to England in 1854, where he met the Rosicrucian author Baron Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Lytton was known for his writings on occult, mesmerism, astrology, clairvoyance and magic. Levi formed a partnership with him and this launched his career as an occult writer. he published the book, Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie in 1855 [Eliphas Levi's Transcendental Magic Its Doctrine and Ritual], which was translated and annotated by  Arthur Edward Waite  

*the Fool, also known as the Excuse, an un-numbered card that in some variations excuses the player from following suit or playing a trump, and in others acts as the strongest trump.

*the Fool, also known as the Excuse, an un-numbered card that in some variations excuses the player from following suit or playing a trump, and in others acts as the strongest trump.

*In many regional variants a shortened deck of 62 or 54 cards is used.

*In many regional variants a shortened deck of 62 or 54 cards is used.

==Typical rules of play:==

==Typical rules of play==

Play is typically counter-clockwise; the player to the right of the dealer plays to the first trick. If possible players must follow suit. If following suit is not possible a trump card must be played. The winner of each trick leads the next.

Play is typically counter-clockwise; the player to the right of the dealer plays to the first trick. If possible players must follow suit. If following suit is not possible a trump card must be played. The winner of each trick leads the next.

*[http://www.tarot-decks.com/eliphas-levi-tarot.html Eliphas Levi] Transcendental Magic excerpt, Eliphas Levi On the Tarot

*[http://www.tarot-decks.com/eliphas-levi-tarot.html Eliphas Levi] Transcendental Magic excerpt, Eliphas Levi On the Tarot

*[http://www.lelandra.com/comptarot/tarotthothclone.htm Thelemic Tarot] Comparison of Thelemic Tarot Decks

*[http://www.lelandra.com/comptarot/tarotthothclone.htm Thelemic Tarot] Comparison of Thelemic Tarot Decks

*[http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/golden-dawn-magical/ Golden Dawn]The Golden Dawn Magickal Tarot Images

*[http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/golden-dawn-magical/ Golden Dawn] The Golden Dawn Magickal Tarot Images

*[http://www.tarot.org.il/Library/Mathers/Book-T.html Book T] Golden Dawn, Book T MacGregor Mathers, Harriet Felkin

*[http://www.tarot.org.il/Library/Mathers/Book-T.html Book T] Golden Dawn, Book T MacGregor Mathers, Harriet Felkin

*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/xr/index.htm Rider-Waite-Smith] Tarot Card Cross-reference for the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck

*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/xr/index.htm Rider-Waite-Smith] Tarot Card Cross-reference for the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck

[[Category:Games]]

[[Category:Games]]