The Tarocchi Of Mantegna Cards

These cards are dated to 1465 A.D.
There is only very little known about this deck of cards;

Some attributes this deck of cards to a Andreas Mantegna (1431-1506);
Andrea Mantegna was a Renaissance artist living in Italy. He was a serious student of Roman archaeology, which some of his sketches show.

Since Andrea were a child, he was fortunate to be thought by some of his century great artists. At the age of eleven he was an apprentice of Francesco Squarcione (A Padovan-Italy, artist 1397 – 1468). It is probably through Francesco that Andrea became so fascinated by ancient Rome, Francesco was almost in love with ancient Rome. Andrea was only around 17 years old when he was called together with Nicoló Pizolo to work with a large artist group on decorating the Ovetari Chapel, Andrea Mantegna finished most of the work alone.

Kenneth Clark attributes the cards to a Parrasio Michele (Micheli);
I personally wonder why Kenneth Clark thinks the cards are attributed to Parrasio?..

The Tarocchi of Mantegna is divided into five groups, which some characterize as;

1) The Archetypal social stations of Humanity;


a) The Begger
b) The Servant
c) The Artisan or Craftsman
d) The Gentleman or Squire
e) The Knight
f) The Duke
g) The King
h) The Emperor
i) The Pope

Read
more about the Tarocchi of Mantegna Here

Tarot for Beginners

Starting Point:

I recommend taking you're time in these first steps, because they will be very important.
The first step in the practice of Tarot (tarot-reading) is the choice of cards, which deck will fit your personality the best? There is many thousands of tarot deck, everything from angle cards to the Indians totem animals. This part should be taken very seriously, as these will be the messenger to you.

Personal account:
I will here give you my personal account, so you have something to compare to; Back in 1995-96 I bought ‘the standard tarot deck’, which is Aleister Crowley’s tarot deck. I call this deck standard, because it is standard here in Denmark where I live, and actually it is mostly this deck of cards that the shops carry. Then I started out in the small way, making reading for myself. But personally I found it harder to do a reading over myself, I tend to think the very worst about myself.
The very best way – is non-existing – like everything else ‘perfect’.
For several years I practiced with these cards (but I have to personally state, I don’t like them or their way of illustrating its message they bring even darker images in my head when reading them – too dark cards for me - personally).
Around 1999 me and my parents took a little train trip to Sweden/Malmø, I truly love this city, and its connection to the old is still more visible than here in Denmark. We were walking on an old brick road (I love these old roads, the feel of them are more real than anything in reality itself). Suddenly my mother said, is that not a store which you would like? I looked up and saw a store window filled with Tarot cards and crystals and such. I very quickly entered the store, and found what I was looking for. They had so many tarot decks that I was just about to be confused by all the different symbolism, when suddenly I saw the cards that I am now using. It took me years to find the ‘right’ set of cards for me personally.

The next part is the books which you will have to study, you don’t have to read a book from start to finish, but rather let your passions guide you. Normally there will be a little pamphlet added to the tarot deck which you buy, this book will be from the authors behind that deck of cards. Besides this there are some good basic books about all that you need to know. But no one starts out as an expert in anything at all, we all must crawl before we can walk. So I personally recommend that you let your own intuition pick, both the cards and books, which you have a ‘feel’ from.

The next step will be to practice everyday, which you should probably start with your self. Before any reading, it is a good idea to focus your heart and mind. Some might meditate, this is to reach a more subconscious level of awareness inside your self. If you have no idear as to where to start, here are some ideas; After you have done what you needed to do, to reach your inner levels. You hold the cards imagine all your inner senses touching the cards, make them reach for the impossible by your mere thoughts. You will now put the cards on your table and just mingle them round and round, until you feel comfortably. Then you gather them together again, again you hold them for a while (you’re ritual can continue as you like).

To start with, just pick one card, and take a GOOD look at it. Notice everything portrayed on the card, use your instincts to guide you.
Ask your self what emotions the card creates in you, do they create any images inside you? Do you basically like this card, or don’t you? And is it possible for you to answer, why? Is there anything specific that stands out from the surroundings? And how are you feelings towards that element? Add your own questions test your own observations skills by; Write down what you see/feel and other things which you feel the card brings out in you. Then you can put the card away, let there go hours or even days, and return to the card, and see how your emotions are reacting to the card now (This should not be done for a real reading, only Practicing).

BASIC TAROT

A tarot deck consist of:

The Modern tarot deck is made up of 78 cards in total, divided into three groups called;

22 cards The Major Arcana: which are also referred to as the Trumps in the
Deck. (The big mysteries of life lie in these 22 cards).
These cards represent the highest of our consciousness. It is believed that the Inspiration descend from ancient Egypt, which describes the arch types of the human personality. These cards indicate a significant subject in ones life, not only that, they are also very much linked to Numerology. Again everything is linked in the very ancient mythologies of North African cultures.

40 cards Minor Arcana: They are also referred to as the situation-card.
These cards tell about situations in the every day life such as the work place or in a relationship or even in the home. Again Numerology embedded into the cards.

16 Court cards: These cards can represent individuals, the queen and Princesses representing Woman and the Kings and knights are then men. They can also represent a curtain state of mind, or the state of the body or soul. These cards can represent an aspect of your personality, or even other people.

Plato's Elements.
These figures are from Johannes Kepler ‘Hamonices Mundi’ 1619.

The Four Elements of the Tarot Deck:

Swords: Air, the mental mind, consciousness, active abilities.
Opportunity to grow.
The sword is a Sharpe but the sword has two sides which look alike, and can illustrate a double attitude, which our thoughts and mind also have. The sword is mostly used as protection in close combat, this corresponds to the human behavior in a normal day life. Many of life troubles really come from our mind, when the mind keeps thinking about a curtain situation, especially if the situation is only viewed through one angle.
The swords attitude is much like the astrological sign of Libra; Balance, an appetite for life and learning, the control element for the sign Libra is Air, which puts us in motion. Through air you will see the earth in a different angle, from above you will notice how many things life really bring.
Astrological signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
Direction: East
Element: Air

Cups: Water, the emotions, Feminine, feelings, Subconscious mind, fantasy.
The cup is open and receivable and it can contain water, which in itself symbolizes the emotions, the senses, and the unconscious abilities. The cups images portray the situations emotions, or other feelings coming from the situation. The Cups are sensitive and changeable like Cancer is, but they are also very deep and secretive like the Scorpion, and intuitive and dreamy like the Pisces. When you pull the cup-card from the deck, you must investigate if there is water inside the cup, or it is spilt besides the cup, or if the cup is empty. Emotional passion and intense desirers are also a part of the Cups attributes.
Astrological signs: Cancer, Scorpion, Pisces.
Direction: West
Element: Water

Pentacles (Coins): Earth, material things, the physical.
The pentacles are connected to the material world, and its work associations. Work, and property, and home, environment, trade. These images portray people in work situations, or performing some sort of task. These cards have the practical side of Taurus, and its passion for luxurious things. Capricorns stableness, and financial courage, and Virgos production talents.
The Pentacles (coins) are materiel things, and they are heavy, they symbolize hard work, wisdom, and real. Money and sexuality is also a part of the Pentacles attributes.
Astrological signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Direction: North
Element: Earth

Wands: Fire, Spiritual, masculine, actions, force, will, courage. The wands represent the active, creative, and the communicating growth. Ideas and ambitions are embedded into these cards, and impulses and plans. They are the scepter that a King holds. The wand is hard and stern, and the spirits that surround them are Mousses, they are able to pay attention to detail. Again notice if the wands are standing or flying through the air, pay attention to such details too.
Astrological signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.
Direction: South
Element: Fire

FIRE – The creative forces
The fire is heat, active, bursting, dynamic, with no form or shape. It is much like Pluto, it breaks down one shape to create another. This is the creative force. A creative energy. Fire is the Light of life, but Water and air can kill it, so Fire is only a strong element compared to the Earth.

AIR – The creative mental force
The Air is a cold element, masculine, and also very active. Again this element has no form or even a substance, but very much needed. Air has the power to kill fire which shows an even bigger creative force. The air is always present, and yet never paid much respect to. The wind can even affect water and the earth, and make other elements react to its movements. The air belongs to the intellect, it is creative but also destructive.

WATER – The Reflective force
The Water has a fluid substance, which can change shape at any give moment. You can take some apart (divide it from its mass) and it will not be harmed, you can return it to is mass, and you will not notice it. Like air it will find any cracks in its way, but it is notable. If you look into a water surface, its transparency will reflect your face. Water touches the dreams and visions, but everything stays unreal as its form is so fluid.

EARTH – Force of Manifestation
The Earth is a solid substance, but it is also calm and heavy. The earth is the root of life, giving life a basic to grow from. The earth element signifies will and work effort, but it can have a heavy affect upon the inspiration, thoughts and ideas. This is why the earth and the air just coexist. Without earth nothing will ever manifest itself, nothing will ever be created. The other elements need the earth, or they could not have the effect that they do.

DEATHCard XIII in the Tarot Deck

This Card could probably also be called ‘Osiris’, whom was the ancient Egyptian god for the underworld. (The underworld is much like the Northern mythology of Valhalla, which was an afterlife kingdom among the skies.)

Speaking about Death, when it comes to either a tarot reading or an Astrology reading, is such a sensitive case, which most people still to this day misunderstand.
The image above is the ’death card’ in the Marseilles tarot deck, some refer to this card as ‘devil, trader, the loss card’ etc. Actually the Marseilles cards are not old at all, they are collected and named around 1930 by the French cartomancer Paul Marteau, the word Cartomancer means ‘the art of reading through cards’.

     

The oldest set of cards is probably the Cary-Yale Visconti deck (Image above) which is a hand painted deck of cards coming from Italy. It was the high noble family called Visconti, this family line dominated northern Italy between the 14th and 15th centuries. 67 cards remain in existence.



Coat of Arms
of the Visconti family Line

It should be noted that after what we in the west call ‘before Christ’ and ‘After Christ’ BC and AD, there seems to be this newly spread thought of good and evil divided in a very clear manner. As Christianity took a hold of people all over the world, people started to judge each other ‘for their beliefs’ and not their actions and such. If you would just speak a word, and in curtain countries they would stone you right then and there, some places are still like this (in the year 2007??). One way to keep such a thought or idea alive would be in presenting an image of pure good and evil all the time.

This was not the way of the ancient days, which believed in a ‘Balance’. In Egypt can be found a story (on the walls of Edfu temple) which brings light to the ancient thought process, which we might even learn from in today’s world.


The card ‘Death’ is also attributive with the number of 13, which in some religions indicate a negatively effect. We must conclude that such a thought probably belongs to the Christian and Roman Catholic Church.

Another interesting thought is that there are 12 zodiac signs which astrologers talk about, but there is also the 13 Zodiac sign, which is unknown. An unknown element would be seen negatively because of humans urges for control, so do we think that our clock determine the time...

The card referred to as ‘death’ will probably never be respected as it should, because of our mere basic thinking, especially in modern days (strange that we are in the year 2007 and most of the earths regimes are making the same mistakes as always before.. quit odd if you ask me). Personally when I do a reading, I tend to use some emotions which are very sensitive towards other peoples moods, besides this comes my intuition and the things I already know about life in general. I could take you to a very old lady whom lives in a trailer, where she travels around here in the north, she just looked into my eyes and told me things about my father, about a child,, things no one should be able to do, if only our logical mind half rules…

Death is only the beginning….. Always.
For thou soul shall travel for ever in a ring of everlasting evolutions. In each sphere of life, you will be confronted with emotions which you have left behind before. You will feel the Goosebumps of the souls Essen’s as you feel closer to yourself, than you ever had. Be not frightened.

An empty tomb
In a dusty old room

Death does not exist, it is a word that humans created to communicate to each other that a person’s body was probably never to move again. I believe the ancient Egyptians used the word ‘Osiris’ for describing such a state.

Off course the word ’death’ for our human (material) body does exist, and all fear is probably rooted in that meatier (cosmic meatier).

In a Tarot deck (especially the modern ones) we find that such cards as ‘death – XIII and the Devil – XV’ have changed their names to such as ‘Transformation’ and ‘the deceiver’, this corresponds to the changes which modern astrologers have made to their way of ‘communicating’ a reading or a chart. This change goes to the psychology of our so-called modern societies. I personally think these changes undermine the real messages in a reading.

[Let me tell you something else which you might not have known, the Arabic word for ‘death/dead’ is ‘Mut’. Since I am so passionate about ancient Egypt, I can tell you that an Egyptian goddess is called ‘MutT’, and her origin is so ancient that no one can really give a definition about her ‘being/Essen’s’.
I personally believe the Arabic word of ‘Mut’ is very much linked to the ancient Egyptian goddess called ‘MutT’, not only that I have come to find that ‘MutT’ is Most important in understanding ‘the book of the dead’ and other parts of the ancient tombs. So the name of MutT is also linked to ‘death’ in itself].

DEATH:
The astrological sign that is attributed to the card ‘death’ is Scorpion, which is a water sign that is ruled by the planets Mars and Pluto, which are to powers that together make a passionate and intense force.
But the ‘Death’ card symbolizes such a great force, which comes with the ending of something old to the beginning of something new. For the Phoenix to rise, it must die and become aches first. In this card we are confronted by our deepest fear, namely the fear to change. We create a comfort zone, but this is also the place where we are most prohibited to grow, to use our senses to go deeper into levels of advancement in our spirits/natures.
A true Libra-person would say, I cannot grow alone, only through the connection to my fellow man, will ‘I’ and ‘We’ be able to grow together.

A very good article about the History of Tarot:
At the heart of the Judaic and Islamic religions is the belief that no graven images are permissible of the Prophets. Tarot, on the other hand, is image rich. Tarot thrives on art, pictures and images. Tarot is unthinkable without its beautiful pictures. The western culture has no problem with plagiarism when it comes to appropriating eastern knowledge. Scientists such as Isaac Newton stole many Islamic ideas and used them as their own without ever feeling the need to acknowledge the sources.
While there is evidence of propaganda in using texts such as the Sepher Yetsirah and the Bahir to convert Jews to Christianity by suggesting that these texts predict the Coming of the Messiah, Islamic influences were simply deleted. For example, we only have references to tarot being banned in the 1370s, while the first examples of decks appear around 1450 to 1480. Michael Dummett proposed the Islamic origins of tarot in 1980, forty years after the discovery of the Mamluk cards in Istanbul.
In the 14th century the prototype tarot deck had 52 cards, and it originated in the Mamluk playing cards. These cards had four suits, and the court cards were the King and a Minister, which evolved into the Kings, Knights, Knaves and Queens
Click here to read more: http://www.supertarot.co.uk/lessons/history.htm

The History Of Tarot - the 4th son of Ramesses II - Khaemwese
By Karima Lachtane

I personally believe that the symbolic system, which is portrayed in the tarot system, was started through the knowledge, which a pharaoh prince named Khaemwese had or gained from his ancestors.
To be even more precise he was the 4th son of Ramesses II (also known as Ramesses the Great), because Ramesses II became so old and hereby ruling for so long, he outlived some of his sons. It is well known that Ramesse the II favorite son was Khaemwese which he praised with many titles. For me personally their relationship seems much like Dozer’s and Imoteps relationship, that it can amaze me of their likeness. Khaemwese would make himself noticed through all of his many talents, just like Imoteps once did 1000 years before Khaemwese’s time. Archeologists believe Khaemwese was born while Ramesses was still young, even before he was crowned. His mother is said to be Queen Istnofred (Isisnofret). Ramesses the II most famous wife was Nefertari, but his second wife which was Queen Istnofred (Isisnofret) was probably as great an influence as Nefertari. She would be the queen who gave her king the greatest sons/men of his time, namely Merenptah and Khaemwese. Merenptah would be Ramesses the II successor and Khaemwese would until this very day capture the attention of the one who listens.
Khaemwese was said to be very intelligent, and had a very deep love for his ancient ancestors. But this was only one among the many talents which this person seemed to have had. In ancient text, he earned a reputation which today eludes the public, still. He became Ramesses II favorite son, even thou he wasn’t a war hero like his father. Khaemwese was the greatest magician of his time, and a scholar, remembered for over a thousands years after his death. I would call him ‘the Imoteph’ of his days, which I believe can still be seen. And when his tomb like Imotephs tomb is found, wonders will be revealed – it could be that their tombs are empty, like some others are… An inscription from him can be found at the Serapaeum at Saqqara, where he states that he was at a very young age when he joined the Ptah priesthood, thereby dedicating his life to the knowledge of Ptah. Ptah was a God, the god-father of The Triad of Memphis, his wife was Sekhmet and his son was Nefertem. But Ptah was a kind of description of the priests that was dedicated to the 'knowledge of truth - Matt' (another form of this could be the later 'wisdom Lovers' – philosophers Plato Socrates and such people).

Some believe that the Tarot deck first came about around the 16th - 17th century, but I personally believe it was here even before 13 century. Dear Sir Michael Anthony Eardley Dummett dismiss the idea that the Tarot system came about before 18th century, but he does admit that that the system was in use in other ways. Personally I don’t believe this, Sir Michael Anthony bases his thoughts on the mere fact that no evidence has been found so fare, which would pre-date the 17 century. I perfectly understand why he is not able to state any theories, like I can. When a person becomes a scholar/professor and even a Sir, their statements will be noticed in a totally new light. Many people tend to ‘believe’ what is stated not understanding that it is so fare only on a theory level. So usually Professors keep their theories to the private hours, I personally think this is sad because their theories are as valuable as their known knowledge. From a theory comes and idea, and from the idea and the theory together a reality can accrue (or so I think). As I try to state as often as I can, I truly love all the universes teachers, but a teacher will always need his/her students questions, also the ‘why’. I personally believe a teacher is the worlds’ most lazy student, never ending his or her terms, because they KEEP ahead of his or her students, so their can guide them in the best manner, and with moral (which apparently the world is in a total lack of).
Gian Giacomo Girolamo Casanova was born in 1725 in Venice, he was not like the many romance thoughts that exist about him. Rather he was a man of many scandals, he was accused of raping a young girl, and he had dug a freshly buried body up, just for playing a particle joke (no respect for the ones that have passed on).

In July 1755, at age thirty, he was arrested and convicted for his interest in magic (witchcraft) by the Inquisitori di Stato in Venice, and imprisoned in "I piombi" ("The Leads"), a famous prison attached to the Doge's palace.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giacomo_Casanova

Now I personally believe that it is here we first see Casanova had knowledge of the tarot cards. He is said to have had a young Slave/prostitute/peasant named Zaïre, this girl would lay a deck a cards and tell people about their fortune – a fortuneteller. For his companion in those days to do such with cards, is in fact Tarot readings.
Other evidence shows that Sir Michael Anthony Eardley Dummett could be very mistaken in his thoughts about the tarot deck.

It is believed that it was in 1499 when France conquered Milan that French and Swiss soldiers first were introduced to the Tarot deck of Milan.
http://www.tarothermit.com/marseilles.htm

The misconception about fortuneteller could in terms be said to be the understanding about the tool in itself. Actually it is not the ‘tool or the object’ that contains the ancient old ‘Heka / Essen’s of Magic’, it will always be the life force in itself. The tool which at first was just numbers has through time now been classified as ‘Numerology’. The next tool was the word or the letter, which was at times combined with the numbers, which would give a more accurate telling. When the time of the ancient Assyrians and Aztecs, and Egyptians and Sumerians, it was them all combined into an image.

Around 1465 50 Copper-engraved plates/images emerged, which is probably where the Milan tarot deck came from. These copper engravings were not cards, but rather images portraying that cultures god system and its symbolism. The first known tarot deck of 78 cards was commonly known as Visconti-Sforza Tarot deck (Trionfi /Trump), and this deck of cards came from the old ruling houses of Milan and Lombardia. In each level the information was rapped into symbolic meanings, which have their roots in ancient times. Like with so many other words, they change through time, through systems (either it be school or religion and so on). Tarot is a modern word, for this kind of card-readings, Tarok is an older and a more northern word. The oldest word known for this conception of symbolism in an image was the word ‘Trionfi’. In a handwritten letter dated to 1442, it refers to the word Trionfi.

The original note states:

"MCCCCXLII Maistro Iacomo depentore dito Sagramoro de avere 10 fiebraro per sue merzede de avere cholorido e depento le chope e le spade e li dinari e li bastoni e tute le fegure de 4 para de chartexele da trionffy, e per farle de fora uno paro de rosse e 3 para de verde, chargate de tonditi fati a olio, le quale ave lo nostro Signore per suo uxo; tanssa i prexii per Galiota de l'Asassino chamarlengo de lo prefato Signore de chomissione de lo Signore, in raxone de lire zinque per paro .......... L.XX"

Translation:

To Maestro Jacomo Sagramoro, painter, 13th day of April, five or 20 lire marchesane for two of his orders, that is to say one for his trouble in having painted the backs of one pack of triumph cards, which Piedro de Schiveto had for the use of the aforesaid our Lord, and for his trouble of having painted one box with the arms of the said Lord, which Maestro Nicolo had from the crossbows to hold the "vere" (arrows ?) when the Lord shot the crossbows, as in the "Journal AA" of ussita, at c. 30 ... L. V.

- The painter was paid for having colored the cups, swords, coins and batons and all the figures of 4 packs of trump cards and making the backs for a pack of red cards and 3 packs of green ones, embellished with roundels painted in oil, which our Lord has for his use. http://www.geocities.com/autorbis/ferrara1442.html

Tarot symbolism has changed a lot through the century the symbolic system could also be called Alchemy decks. Because the symbolism, that are illustrated in the decks, even today, is the 12th century alchemy symbolism. Much of the alchemy symbolism is much like the symbolism in a tarot deck, only meaning different things. I personally see it as a writing system, pretty much like the ancient hieroglyphics.

Written By Karima L.