01-06-2011, 03:30 PM
Most historians of the subject do support Ra's other two claims though, that The major and minor arcana were originally separate.
First, the earliest surviving manuscripts of Tarot make a very clear distinction between the two. Second, one of the earliest tarots, the mamluk tarot from Istanbul, has only minor arcana.
Second, it is well accepted that astrology is Babylonian in origin. If one accepts the minor arcana are astrologically based then the minor arcana came from Babylon at least indirectly.
Historians do not really have a good theory on the origin or purpose of the major arcana, although there is no surviving evidence it is older than the middle ages.
There is one minor piece of evidence it could be egytptian though; The tau cross is generally accepted to be egyptian in origin, and
The tau cross made by the hand the heirophant (significator of the mind) and the body of the hanged man (significator of the body).
First, the earliest surviving manuscripts of Tarot make a very clear distinction between the two. Second, one of the earliest tarots, the mamluk tarot from Istanbul, has only minor arcana.
Second, it is well accepted that astrology is Babylonian in origin. If one accepts the minor arcana are astrologically based then the minor arcana came from Babylon at least indirectly.
Historians do not really have a good theory on the origin or purpose of the major arcana, although there is no surviving evidence it is older than the middle ages.
There is one minor piece of evidence it could be egytptian though; The tau cross is generally accepted to be egyptian in origin, and
The tau cross made by the hand the heirophant (significator of the mind) and the body of the hanged man (significator of the body).