Difference between revisions of "Minor Arcana"

 
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[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. In contemporary tarot decks the Minor Arcana are often illustrated—a convention popularized by the [[Rider–Waite Tarot]] deck in 1910. 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.
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.


Tarot variations derived from Italian decks and Spanish decks typically have a Minor Arcana of 56 cards, with 14 cards in each suit: [[Wands (Tarot)|Wands]] (alternately batons, clubs, staffs, or staves), [[Cups (Tarot)|Cups]] (chalices, goblets, or vessels), [[Swords (Tarot)|Swords]] (or blades), and [[Pentacles (Tarot)|Pentacles]] (coins, disks, or rings).
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 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.
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]].


==Correspondence==
==Correspondence==
Line 20: Line 34:
| [[Wands (Tarot)|Wands]]
| [[Wands (Tarot)|Wands]]
| Clubs
| Clubs
| Fire
| [[fire (element)|Fire]]
| Artisans
| Artisans
| Creativity and will
| Creativity and will
|-
| [[Pentacles (Tarot)|Pentacles]]
| Diamonds
| Earth
| Merchants
| Material body or possessions
|-
|-
| [[Cups (Tarot)|Cups]]
| [[Cups (Tarot)|Cups]]
| Hearts
| Hearts
| Water
| [[water (element)|Water]]
| Clergy
| Clergy
| Emotions and love
| Emotions and love
Line 38: 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 49: 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]]





Latest revision as of 16:03, 9 July 2024

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.

Two of Pentacles from the Tarot de Marseille

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.

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 (batons, clubs, staffs, or staves)
  • Cups (chalices, goblets, or vessels)
  • Swords (scimitars or blades)
  • 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.

Correspondence

In divination, the Minor Arcana are believed to represent relatively mundane features of life. The court cards represent the people whom one meets.

Each suit also has distinctive characteristics and connotations commonly held to be as follows:

Latin suit French suit Element Class Faculty
Wands Clubs Fire Artisans Creativity and will
Cups Hearts Water Clergy Emotions and love
Swords Spades Air Nobility and military Reason
Pentacles Diamonds Earth Merchants Material body or possessions

Planetary associations

In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, number cards are associated with planets, corresponding to their placement in Kabbalah.



Tarot Topics
Major Arcana The FoolThe MagicianThe High PriestessThe EmpressThe EmperorThe HierophantThe LoversThe ChariotStrengthThe HermitWheel of FortuneJusticeThe Hanged ManDeathTemperanceThe DevilThe TowerThe StarThe MoonThe SunJudgementThe World
Minor Arcana Pentacles AceTwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenEightNineTenPageKnightQueenKing
Wands AceTwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenEightNineTenPageKnightQueenKing
Cups AceTwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenEightNineTenPageKnightQueenKing
Swords AceTwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenEightNineTenPageKnightQueenKing
Decks Visconti-Sforza TarotTarot of MarseillesRider-Waite TarotThoth TarotOccult TarotAngel TarotVlad Dracula TarotHieronymus Bosch Tarot