NECROMANCY: Or divination by means of the spirits of the dead, from the Greek work `nekos', dead; and `manteria', divination. It is through its Italian form nigromancia that it came to be known as the "Black Art". With the Greeks it originally signified the descent into Hades in order to consult the dead rather than summoning the dead into the mortal sphere again. - "For necromancy, associated as it is with ghosts and the underworld, always the most insistent powers of fear and darkness which impress the superstitious, naturally goes hand in hand with black magic." (Greek Divination page 235)
Necromancy is a form of divination in which the practitioner seeks to summon the spirits of the dead in order to gain knowledge of future events from them. These spirits are called Operative Spirits and Spirits of Divination.
In the middle ages the literate members of society were either the Nobility or Christian clergy. Either of these groups may have been responsible for the propagation and ongoing practice of necromancy, even though it is forbidden in Christianity. It is apparent that necromancy was not a method of witchcraft. It may have been only available to the scholarly of Europe, because of the accessibility, language, knowledge and methods it employs. Some suggest that Necromancy could have became a way for idle literate Europeans to integrate Hebrew and Arabic legend and language into forbidden manuals of sorcery.
The most common form of necromancy is to summon the spirit of the corpse by sacrifices and incantations but there is also the less common practice of attempting to raise the corpse to life. The rituals demand meticulous execution and exacting preparations involving the choice of a proper place, for example a cemetery or the ruins of an ancient monastery; the choice of the right time, usually between the hours of midnight and one in the morning; use of specific incantations; and accessories, such as bells. One of the most important elements is the use of a magic circle which protects the necromancer and his or her assistant from being harmed by provoking the dead.
I have searched various Grimoires and books on the Dark Arts but haven't found any reference to use of the skull or raven in ceremonial magick. A few works site the use of a portrait of the deceased, ornate robes, white linen and other complicated procedures that must take place sometime between two weeks and a month before the summoning of the dead. There is also no reference to an open window, olive wood is used to block out light. An alter is used for ceremonial tools, which I imagine the goblets would be placed on rather than steps or shelves that are used here.
I will venture therefore, that this is an imposter or poseur - he is not a true magi hence his lack of preparation and odd utensils. If he is a Necromancer, he is not in the sway of performing ceremonial magick. Instead his expression is fixed and thoughtful. It looks to me as though his is thinking about conjuring the spirit of the skull he holds which looks ages old. If he is bringing back a lost love, then she (or he) passed away a long time ago from the dried up look of the skull and lack of jaw bone.
The arrangement of the goblets whisper of union and possibly children: Two would be love and three offspring. But there is no tenderness in this poseurs face, no discernible love or longing. His expression is hardened and menacing. His hand clawed. I wonder if he didn't destroy the lives of those he thinks of, if a second later he won't fling the skull across the room and sweep out. I think he is angry and harbours evil thoughts about the person whose skull he glares at.
The raven also seems startled by his malice. If he did bring back the soul of the departed, it would be to further torture them in the maliciously cold way in which they were first destroyed.
I'm also begining to associate the ravens and Fives of this deck with the
Trickster.