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[[File:Two of Pentacles.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Two of Pentacles]] from the ''Tarot de Marseille'']] | [[File:Two of Pentacles.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Two of Pentacles]] from the ''Tarot de Marseille'']] | ||
The '''Minor Arcana''', sometimes called the '''Lesser Arcana''', are the suit cards in a [[Tarot]] deck. Minor Arcana cards first appeared in tarot card games, with pip cards numbered one (ace) to ten, along with court cards (or face cards) in each of four suits | The '''Minor Arcana''', sometimes called the '''Lesser Arcana''', are the suit cards in a [[Tarot]] deck. Minor Arcana cards first appeared in tarot card games, with pip cards numbered one (ace) to ten, along with court cards (or face cards) in each of four suits. | ||
In contemporary tarot decks, the Minor Arcana are often illustrated, although this was not common prior to the publication of the [[Rider–Waite Tarot]] deck in 1910. The Sola Busca Tarot is a rare example of a pre-1800s deck that was fully illustrated. | |||
The four court cards are commonly page, knight, queen, and king. Some variations have princess and prince cards replacing the page and knight cards; the historic Visconti-Sforza | When used in a tarot card reading in conjunction with the [[Major Arcana]], the cards of the Minor Arcana suggest subtleties and details and signify day-to-day insights. | ||
==Composition and variations== | |||
Tarot decks derived from Italian decks and Spanish decks typically have a Minor Arcana of 56 cards, with 14 cards in each suit: | |||
* [[Wands (Tarot)|Wands]] (batons, clubs, staffs, or staves) | |||
* [[Cups (Tarot)|Cups]] (chalices, goblets, or vessels) | |||
* [[Swords (Tarot)|Swords]] (scimitars or blades) | |||
* [[Pentacles (Tarot)|Pentacles]] (coins, disks, or rings). | |||
The four court cards are commonly page, knight, queen, and king. Some variations have princess and prince cards replacing the page and knight cards; the historic [[Visconti-Sforza Tarot]] deck expands the court with two additional cards: the damsel and the mounted lady. | |||
While the historic [[Tarot of Marseilles]] contains 56 cards, later decks based on the French suits of clubs (♣), hearts (♥), spades (♠), and diamonds (♦) have only three face cards per suit, with a jack (or knave) in addition to the queen and king. | |||
The term "Minor Arcana" was coined by French author and [[occultist]] [[Jean-Baptiste Pitois]]. | The term "Minor Arcana" was coined by French author and [[occultist]] [[Jean-Baptiste Pitois]]. | ||
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| [[Wands (Tarot)|Wands]] | | [[Wands (Tarot)|Wands]] | ||
| Clubs | | Clubs | ||
| Fire | | [[fire (element)|Fire]] | ||
| Artisans | | Artisans | ||
| Creativity and will | | Creativity and will | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Cups (Tarot)|Cups]] | | [[Cups (Tarot)|Cups]] | ||
| Hearts | | Hearts | ||
| Water | | [[water (element)|Water]] | ||
| Clergy | | Clergy | ||
| Emotions and love | | Emotions and love | ||
| Line 40: | Line 46: | ||
| [[Swords (Tarot)|Swords]] | | [[Swords (Tarot)|Swords]] | ||
| Spades | | Spades | ||
| Air | | [[air (element)|Air]] | ||
| Nobility and military | | Nobility and military | ||
| Reason | | Reason | ||
|- | |||
| [[Pentacles (Tarot)|Pentacles]] | |||
| Diamonds | |||
| [[earth (element)|Earth]] | |||
| Merchants | |||
| Material body or possessions | |||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 51: | Line 63: | ||
* Fours - [[Jupiter]] | * Fours - [[Jupiter]] | ||
* Fives - [[Mars]] | * Fives - [[Mars]] | ||
* Sixes - Sun | * Sixes - [[Sun]] | ||
* Sevens - [[Venus]] | * Sevens - [[Venus]] | ||
* Eights - [[Mercury]] | * Eights - [[Mercury]] | ||
* Nines - Moon | * Nines - [[Moon]] | ||
* Tens - Earth | * Tens - [[Earth]] | ||