Jinx
January 18, 2003, 4:05am
1
How far back do Tarot Cards go, and were they always associated with predicting the future? Lastly, why are they all (or mostly all) such glib images? - Jinx
Extra Credit: Did Jung’s concept of architypes come from the Tarot Cards? (In a Psych class I took, this was implied, but not explicitly stated).
There’s loads of Google sites on this topic. Take your pick.
How about:
The fourteenth century has been claimed as the time that the cards first surfaced. Supposedly, the cards were brought to Italy from Spain around 1375 AD, introduced by the Moors. Others claim that they originated in Egypt, because Tarot-like hieroglyphics have been discovered there. It is likely that both claims are correct, in a sense; Egyptian symbology plays a part in the Tarot, as does classic Western European, Mediterranean, and Eastern symbology. In short, they are a combination and culmination of many mystical theologies.
From here.
And here’s stuff about the Tarot and Carl Jung.
auliya
January 18, 2003, 7:56am
3
Not a serious response Jinx but I couldn’t resist
I am sorry, but I don’t know how to link to a specific post in a thread so am including it in its entirety. Many thanks to Gravity for the funniest thing I have read all day
People have always looked for meaning in their world. One of the oldest forms of divination was by studying the roots of the vegetables that grew in certain holy plots of land. Carrots were especially good for this purpose, as they have lots of lines and wrinkles on them. This leads to a good, thorough understanding of the events to come.
In 1241, Mathius Roke, a leading scholar of the time set out to learn all of the different permutations of carrot that were possible. After nearly 40 years of study, he accepted that he had found the answer. There were 20 main kinds of carrot (discounting the banned and feared ‘German Carrot’) and 52 minor variations in form and shape.
Shortly after his death in 1290, Roke’s son Carls had cards printed up to make divination quicker. No longer did someone who needed the answer have to plant a plot of land and tend it for a season to get the answer to a question - they just drew a card from the ‘Carot’ deck.
People were stunned at this new, nearly instant form of divination. Soon people were making their own Carot Cards, and putting pictures of all sorts of things on them to brighten up the bits of bark and sheepskin. Pigs were popular, as were cutlasses and some forms of verbs.
When Jarek the Tall outlawed the letter ‘C’ in the early 15th century, they became Tarot Tards. The name was changed in 1411 to Tarot Cards, the name we know them today, due to a petition with nearly 200 names of landholders, alleging that the current name was disrespectful. As a result, the letter ‘C’ was allowed back into use, but only in new words, the only exception being the words ‘Card’ and, oddly enough, ‘Corduroy’.
Excuse the hijack, but here’s the details on linking to specific posts, auliya , from the FAQ in ATMB.
Linking directly to a post within a thread
To link directly to a post within a thread, modify appropriately the following URLhttp://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=NNN#postNNN
Just in case it might help.
auliya
January 18, 2003, 10:13am
5
Thanks Ice Wolf, you are a true kiwi
auliya
I find this very hard to believe. I’d always thought they originated from divination using taro .
Duke
January 18, 2003, 8:02pm
7
raygirvan : That’s exactly what I said, in the thread linked to above!
I will do what I should have done in the first place and read that thread.