Tarot facts, Secrets, Questions and Answers

Here are some strange and fascinating tarot facts:

The origin of the word "Tarot" remains unknown and so does the origin of the cards themselves. The first documentary evidence of Tarot is 1442. A reference to "trump" cards is made in an account book from the court at Ferrari, in Italy. But they are much older.

It is impossible to find a period in time when these images were not known. Sometimes they were found as murals, sometimes as sculptures of stone or as terracotta tablets. Wherever they have been discovered, their resemblance is so striking; a common source seeding global knowledge is indisputable.

The word has been connected to the sacred mound of "Tara" in Ireland. "Tara" is also the name of the mother of Buddha. The great fertility goddess of Syria and Persia is one of sensuality and known as “AsTAROTh”.
The Egyptian god "Thoth" is a vital link as the Tarot is known as The Book of Thoth.
Within the Egyptian language “tar” means road or way and “Ro”, king or royal, thus "Tarot" in Egyptian translates as "the royal road."

The word "truth", "terra" for earth and even "The Tao" are suggested deviations of word TAROT.
In Ireland, the legendary “people of the goddess DANA”,(Tuatha De Danann) spoke of four magical treasures; a cauldron, spear, stone and sword.
This mirrors the four suites of the tarot.
Similar symbols are found in Hindu art; the cup, the scepter, ring and sword.
The Greek goddess of Fate herself, Nemesis, carries symbols that include a cup, a wand of apple-wood, a wheel and a sword.

The meanings and tarot card interpretations are based on numerology, the elements; spiritual, emotional, mental and physical processes and of course the drawing and placement of the cards.
The elements or suites within the tarot still exist in modern playing cards. The pips of diamonds, spades, clubs and hearts can be expressed as earth, air, fire and water. Or to bring it into our modern worlds, money, mind, intent and emotion. This then can be related to business, thoughts, transformations and love.

In an older world and another time, these four elements also contained wisdom of disposing the dead, the seasons, times of day and life ages.
Christian orthodoxy also incorporated this with 1)the chalice of the last supper, 2)the wooden lance St. Longinus used to pierce Jesus’ side, 3)the round platter from which the disciples ate the paschal lamb and 4)King David’s “Sword of the Spirit.”

More Tarot facts of symbols.

Many spiritualists can find freedom of expression to incorporate their personal journeys of the Tarot whilst still retaining the core information through the numbers and suits of the cards.

One whom has studied numerology and occult science understands the structures behind the numbers and the positions like the music scale that unconscious uses for expression.

Thus picture cards are not necessary but are used for the ease of reader and in modern time; artistic expression. The universal application of the Tarot's truth in so many varied expressions is confirmation of those universal truths.