Creation Resources

[FearfulSymmetry]

Here are a few websites that have general meanings and/or symbols for each of the tarot cards:

Arnell Ando - examples of the Major Arcana
http://www.arnellart.com/movietws.htm

Arnell Ando - Keys for the Minor Arcana
http://www.arnellart.com/keys.htm

Arnell's home page - check out her articles on other tips on making a collage deck, some very good information here
http://www.arnellart.com/frm-main.htm

Some links on collaging a deck by Michele Jackson:
http://www.tarotpassages.com/create.htm

Robert O'Neill's in depth study of the iconography of the major arcana:
http://www.tarot.com/about-tarot/library/boneill/

An awesome feature on Trionfi.com, it shows the different cards from about 200 decks grouped together so you can scroll through them and compare:
http://trionfi.com/0/i/c/ALL-78/

I seem to remember a good, short but concise article by Michele Jackson that had a few words about the imagery on each card but I could t find it, does anyone else know where it is?


That's all I have off the top of my head, feel free to add more if you have them!

 

[FearfulSymmetry]

Major Arcana

Here is a quick list by me of the standard or most common symbolism you might find in a tarot deck. Obviously it is heavily influenced by Rider Waite as many modern decks are. I will try to expand on it as time allows.

Major Arcana, 22 cards numbered with Roman numerals.

0 - The Fool:
Free spirited youth walking unafraid off a cliff, dog nipping at heels.

I - The Magician:
A man standing at a table upon which all 4 suit symbols sit, a cup, coin, sword and wand. His may have his hands so one is pointed at the sky and one pointed at the earth. He usually has an infinity symbol or lemniscate, usually over his head.

II - The High Priestess:
Woman between 2 pillars which may be colored one black and one white. A crescent moon at her feet. Usually strongly blue in color, sometimes purple. Often she has an open book in her lap.

III - The Empress:
A motherly type woman sitting comfortably in a chair in a natural setting.

IV - The Emperor:
A fatherly looking man, often on throne decorated with rams heads.

V- The Hierophant or Pope:
A man dressed in the garb of priest or pope. He often sits on a throne between 2 pillars. He often has 2 younger looking people kneeling before him.

VI - The Lovers:
Two naked people standing hand in hand. Sometimes includes an angel above them, like a cupid blessing their union. Think Adam and Eve.

VII- The Chariot:
A Charioteer. Often the chariot is drawn by two horses, one black, one white. Sometimes he has a canopy of stars above his head.

VIII as Justice:
This is the non Rider Waite numbering. Shows a woman holding balanced scales.

VIII as Strength:
This is the numbering used by the Rider Waite and adopted y many modern decks. Shows a woman and a lion and she is often gently closing or holding its open mouth.

IX - The Hermit:
Shows a lone man in long robes holding out a lit lantern. Sometimes he is on a snowy mountaintop.

X - The Wheel of Fortune:
A wheel with different animals at each cardinal point. The old cards said around the edges, "I reign, I will reign, I have reigned, I don't reign".

XI - as Strength:
This is the older style numbering. Shows a woman and a lion and she is often gently closing or holding its open mouth.

XI - as Justice:
This is the Rider Waite style numbering often adopted in modern decks.
Shows a woman holding balanced scales.

XII - The Hanged Man
A man hanging side down from a tree, a gallows or some other wood support. He often has his legs bent into a '4' type shape.

XIII - Death:
A Grim Reaper or a skeleton. Sometimes on a horse and sometimes reaping people of all classes.

XIV - Temperance:
An angel, woman or androgyne pouring water from one urn or cup to another. Sometimes with one foot on land and one foot in a river or other water.

XV - The Devil:
A devil, goat-faced, horned and bat-winged. Sometimes he holds naked Adam and Eve like figures at the end of chains.

XVI - The Tower:
Aall tower being struck by lightning and being blown apart or on fire in some way. Pople are falling from it.

XVII The Star:
A woman under a large star. Often she nude and often se is standing with one foot on land and one in water and is pouring water onto each.

XVIII - The Moon:
A moon smetimes with 2 pillars. There is often a crustacean of some sort rising from thepths. Sometimes wolf is on one shore and a dog on the other.

XIX - The Sun:
A sun. Can have any or all of; sunflowers, naked, frolicking children, white horse, loose red covering on child/children.

XX - Judgment:
An angel blowing a horn and people rising from their graves.

XXI - The World:
A naked woman, maybe dancing, in the center of a wheel which might contain some representation of the 4 elements. The wheel might be bordered by a laurel wreath.

 

[AJ]

thank you!
I pull the moon card a lot and the 'crustacean' always jumps out at me, but never translates into something I can use.. anyone care to enlarge on that feature?

 

[FearfulSymmetry]

To me the lobster or crab or whatever it is, represents some bit of knowledge that resides in the dark depths of our subconscious - something which is now rising to the surface.
It could be something which is hidden that you will soon become aware of or dreams or memories that you will soon remember or the resolution of something you are in denial of.

Marie

 

[melaniejade31]

Great Links!

Thank you so much for the great links, Fearful_Symmetry! I will probably spend hours just exploring those sites. I really appreciate you taking the time to list them all!

Melanie Jade