Wand lizards

Kit

On the thrones of the King and Queen of Wands, lizards and lions are prominent. Wands are associated with fire, so I could understand the connection with lions but didn't understand the lizards.
The other day it occured to me that they *might* be salamanders (lizards of the fire) but I can't find much info about this or find anything to back this theory up. Any help/other ideas?
Raeven
 

Rusty Neon

Yes, they'd be salamanders. The Golden Dawn, of which Waite was once a member, associated the element Fire with the suit of Wands and the salamander (traditional elemental creature of fire) with that suit.
 

Kit

Yay! Thankyou.
 

Fulgour

since ANCIENT times...

Secret Teachings of All Ages: The Elements and Their Inhabitants

1928 by Manly P. Hall

The third group of elementals is the salamanders, or spirits of fire, who live in that attenuated, spiritual ether which is the invisible fire element of Nature. Without them material fire cannot exist; a match cannot be struck nor will flint and steel give off their spark without the assistance of a salamander, who immediately appears (so the mediæval mystics believed), evoked by friction. Man is unable to communicate successfully with the salamanders, owing to the fiery element in which they dwell, for everything is resolved to ashes that comes into their presence. By specially prepared compounds of herbs and perfumes the philosophers of the ancient world manufactured many kinds of incense. When incense was burned, the vapors which arose were especially suitable as a medium for the expression of these elementals, who, by borrowing the ethereal effluvium from the incense smoke, were able to make their presence felt.


http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta25.htm
 

Rusty Neon

Raeven's initial question raised the issue of the association of salamanders with the tarot suit Wands. In my first post, that's what I addressed.

However, being aware of the traditional association of salamanders with the element Fire, I was careful (while writing my first post) to describe the salamander as "... (traditional elemental creature of fire) ...".

In my first post, because of the parallelism of construction, a second placement of the word 'associated' -- as if placed immediately before the words 'the salamander' - is implied.

The RWS deck is Golden Dawn inspired, as Waite was a former GD member. The Golden Dawn associated the element Fire with the tarot suit of Wands. Therefore, because of the ancient association of Fire and salamanders, the Golden Dawn's association of the suit Wands to salamanders follows. The Golden Dawn literature is full of references of salamanders to Wands.
 

Fulgour

Rusty Neon said:
Yes, they'd be salamanders. The Golden Dawn, of which Waite was once a member, associated the element Fire with the suit of Wands and the salamander (traditional elemental creature of fire) with that suit.
Well said! An excellent point, and a very helpful observation.
Have you noticed The Page's tunic, how they swim around?
She is the only one whose tunic features this design element.
 

Kit

They are featured on the knight's tunic also. I guess you'd say they are more circling than swimming.
 

Fulgour

Swirling Salamanders

Raeven said:
They are featured on the knight's tunic also. I guess you'd say they are more circling than swimming.
Ah, you will have to look closely ~ and pay attention...
The Page's go clockwise and counter-clockwise!
(not so on the Knight)
 

Kit

Re: Swirling Salamanders

Fulgour said:
Ah, you will have to look closely ~ and pay attention...
The Page's go clockwise and counter-clockwise!
(not so on the Knight)

Now I look at it closely...I begin to grow dizzy! Interesting! But what do the swimming salamanders mean? Swimming would imply water, the opposite of fire.
 

Fulgour

an eye for details

"Swimming" was a poor choice of words by me.
Swirling is better ~ going in every which way!

Here's another clue:
only The Page of Wands and King of Pentacles show any armour...
(her helmet and his boot) ~ plus, Pages were non-family members.