The Chariot: belt and skirt

Zephyros

It may very well be immobile. The Chariot brings down the structure of the universe, the essence of "two in one conveyed," the fertilized Holy Grail. It is a matter of interpretation whether Geburah gets its motion intrinsically or whether the Chariot is what facilitates that. It may that, paradoxically, the sphinxes move while the chariot does not, or vice versa.

As to how this helps the reader... well, it depends what kind of reader you are and what you find important. To me everything is importantt because I see every card as having the essence of a pure, wordless idea, with all the symbols on it (even the contradictory ones) as contributing to it.
 

JoyousGirl

If you are drawn to them take note and find out what they are, get a little background info (or a lot) and then you can interpret them as you see fit with each reading. Astrological symbols can represent the characteristics or essence of a thing, whether it be by house or cycles or well, anything zodiac related that comes to you when your eyes are drawn to that area. If you're drawn to his skirt it may be talismanic things brought to mind or some other - is it the magic of the mark or thing itself or the power manifested by the will and underlying belief that brings the results into being?

This guy isn't hitched to the sphinxes, his will drives them - mental power or lack of it. And his direction, whether movement or creation or development or whatever is driven by his will.

Every symbol in every card can be of use to a reader. There's only a set number of cards and a limitless number of situations they may represent. Symbols are in the image for a reason - not just to fill space.
 

GlitterNova

regardless of what they are ... what use are they on the card to a reader?.

Well, one can't answer that question if one doesn't know what they are! I'd rather know what they are and decide for myself whether I think they are an important detail or not. That being said, I am perfectly content with an answer similar to 'Pixie drew in some random symbols to keep the skirt from looking too plain'.
 

Teheuti

The markings on the skirt are an allusion to the alchemical art - most specifically to the metal Antimony, which was described alchemically as a "triumphal chariot." Waite translated Basilius Valentinus' 15th century alchemical work, Triumphal Chariot of Antimony. Antimony is a hard, brittle, lustrous, silver-white, crystalline metallic element used in alloys and purifying gold. Valentin describes the creation of a crystalline star formation called the “Star Regulus” [see the star crown]. Waite says it is, “Nature regarded as a volatile spirit animated by the Universal Spirit.” In the Triumphal Chariot of Antimony as translated by Waite: “Among all Metals and Minerals, there is not any Substance known, which contains so much of a Celestial Spirit, and hath so great Sympathy with the Stars, as Antimony.”

An annotator, Theodore Kirkringus, explained: “Nature seems to have made choice of this Mineral, therein to hide all her Treasures. Therefore not without reason hath Basilius made for it a Triumphant Chariot, which is daily enriched with Spoyls taken from the Camps of Ignorance.”

Oswald Wirth also made much about an association between the Chariot and Valentinus' Antimony.

http://www.vanderkrogt.net/elements/element.php?sym=Sb
 

Teheuti

Regarding antimony as the "Star Regulus": A regulus ('little king') was the heavy substance that sank to the bottom of your crucible. Hence the stone out of which the Charioteer grows.