TAROT TRADITION AND PIATNIK’S TAROT CARDS THE 22 MAJOR ARCANA OF TAROT
Tarot consists of pictographic cards, which gave rise to the game of Taroc as it is known in Our days.
Tarot cards in Europe emerged apparently as early as in the course of the 14th century partly in Italy and partly in France.
There are theories, however, according to which Tarot in fact originated in ancient Egypt, from where it took its course to conquer the world.
In many of the Eastern countries, from Egypt through India and to China, one actually may find a number of such figurative images with a likeness to the Tarot figures: even the Gypsies have such cards, which may explain how these were spread in Asia and Europe.
It is just as difficult to prove scientifically the genesis of the Tarot cards as to ascertain the origin of the name of tarot.
Some scientists think that this name is of French origin, but Gustav Meyrinck, in his book ‘The Golem’ is of the opinion ‘[...] that aroc or Tarot has the same meaning as the Hebrew word ‘Torah’ (the Law), or the name may be connected with the ancient Egyptian word ‘Taruth’ (the One who is consulted), or it may come from the word ‘Tarisk’ of the ancient Zend language, which means “I demand the answer.“
The Tarot cards are used for “play as well as — and this is more often the case — for “fortune telling’.
A packet consists of 78 cards: 22 of the major Arcana (= the great mysteries) which are the same as the trumps in the game of Taroc, and of the 56 minor Arcana (the lesser mysteries).
The minor Arcana are similar to the cards of our modern games, and are divided into four sults:
Swords, Wands, Cups and Coins (equi- valent to Spade, Club, Heart and Diamond) and there are fourteen cards of each suit.
The minor Arcana in Tarot, however, play a smaller role, and it is said that these came very much later into being than the major Arcana.
