Thoth tarot deck
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2008-06-23T19:53:09Z
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/* The minor arcana */
{{Expand|date=March 2007}}
[[Image:Thothdeckcover.jpg|thumb|175px|Cover of the Thoth Tarot deck, designed by [[Aleister Crowley]] and painted by [[Lady Frieda Harris]]. The cover is similar to the illustration of the Two of Disks.]]
The '''Thoth Tarot''' {{IPA|/təʊt 'tær.əʊ/}} is a [[divinatory tarot]] deck painted by [[Frieda Harris|Lady Frieda Harris]] according to instructions from [[Aleister Crowley]]. Crowley referred to this deck as ''[[The Book of Thoth (Crowley)|The Book of Thoth]]'', and also wrote a book of that title intended for use with the deck.
==Background==
Crowley originally intended the Thoth deck to be a six-month project aimed at updating the traditional pictorial symbolism, perhaps best demonstrated by the [[Rider-Waite-Smith deck]]; however, it was to span five years, between [[1938]] and [[1943]], as the scope of the project grew ever wider. Crowley and Harris were meticulous in their work; Harris painted some cards as many as eight times. The current printing of the deck actually includes two alternate illustrations of The Magus, each making use of markedly different style and symbols. Unfortunately, neither Harris nor Crowley lived to see the deck published; a follower of Crowley undertook the work of publication in [[1969]]. This initial printing was of markedly inferior quality, and in [[1977]] Harris' paintings were rephotographed for a second edition; the current edition is based on a further update that took place in [[1986]].
==Symbolism==
The illustrations of the Thoth deck are rich in symbolism, based upon Crowley's stated desire to incorporate symbols from many disparate disciplines, including science and philosophy, as well as to draw on his extensive knowledge of various occult system (as described in detail in his ''Book of Thoth).'' For example, The Hanged Man and The Moon draw from [[Egyptian mythology]], and the Princess of Disks holds a disk bearing the [[Yin and yang|Taijitu]]. The pip cards in the four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, and Disks) depict their objects in carefully-crafted positions; for example, the Four of Swords (which Crowley named "truce") shows four swords with their points toward the center of an imaginary square, suggesting a possibly tense peace. The card illustrations are uniformly stark and vividly illustrated throughout.
==Differences from Rider Waite Tarot==
===Order and names of trumps===
Crowley renamed several of the trumps, and also re-arranged the [[astrology|astrological]] and [[Hebrew alphabet]] correspondences of some cards, in accordance with his earlier book, ''[[Liber AL vel Legis]]'':
:''All these old letters of my Book are aright; but צ is not the Star.'' (AL I:57)
<table>
<tr>
<td>'''Rider-Waite card'''</td>
<td>'''Thoth equivalent'''</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>I: [[The Magician (Tarot card)|The Magician]]</td>
<td>I: The Magus</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>II: [[The High Priestess]] </td>
<td>II: The Priestess</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VIII: [[Strength (Tarot card)|Strength]]</td>
<td>XI: Lust</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XI: [[Justice (Tarot card)|Justice]]</td>
<td>VIII: Adjustment</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>X: [[Wheel of Fortune (Tarot card)|Wheel of Fortune]]</td>
<td>X: Fortune</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XIV: [[Temperance (Tarot card)|Temperance]]</td>
<td>XIV: Art</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XX: [[Judgement (Tarot card)|Judgement]]</td>
<td>XX: The [[Aeon (Thelema)|Æon]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XXI: [[The World (Tarot card)|The World]]</td>
<td>XXI: The Universe</td>
</tr></table>
===The minor arcana===
Each of the minor arcana pips (1-10 of each suit), has been given a title, other than the four Aces. Crowley titled them based on his intended symbolism. This symbolism, does not always follow the more popular [[Rider-Waite tarot deck]].
===Names of court cards===
Crowley altered the names of the all the court cards apart from the Queen in the Thoth deck, which can cause some confusion for people used to the more common Ride-Waite deck and its derivatives. The typical<ref>Corresponding Court Cards Between Decks for alternative</ref> corresponding names are as follows:
{|border=1
! Traditional Court Card Name !! Thoth Deck Court Card Name
|-
| Page || Princess
|-
| Knight || Prince
|-
| Queen || Queen
|-
| King || Knight
|}
====Titles and attributions of the Wands Suit====
{|border=1
! Number !! Sign !! Decan !! Ruler of Decan !! Name
|-
| 1 || || || || The Root of the Powers of Fire
|-
| 2 || Aries || 1st || Mars || Dominion
|-
| 3 || Aries || 2nd || Sun || Virtue
|-
| 4 || Aries || 3rd || Venus || Completion
|-
| 5 || Leo || 1st || Saturn || Strife
|-
| 6 || Leo || 2nd || Jupiter || Victory
|-
| 7 || Leo || 3rd || Mars || Valour
|-
| 8 || Sagittarius || 1st || Mercury || Swiftness
|-
| 9 || Sagittarius || 2nd || Moon || Strength
|-
| 10 || Sagittarius || 3rd || Saturn || Oppression
|}
====Titles and attributions of the Cups Suit====
{|border=1
! Number !! Sign !! Decan !! Ruler of Decan !! Name
|-
| 1 || || || || The Root of the Powers of Water
|-
| 2 || Cancer || 1st || Venus || Love
|-
| 3 || Cancer || 2nd || Mercury || Abundance
|-
| 4 || Cancer || 3rd || Moon || Luxury
|-
| 5 || Scorpio || 1st || Mars || Disappointment
|-
| 6 || Scorpio || 2nd || Sun || Pleasure
|-
| 7 || Scorpio || 3rd || Venus || Debauch
|-
| 8 || Pisces || 1st || Saturn || Indolence
|-
| 9 || Pisces || 2nd || Jupiter || Happiness
|-
| 10 || Pisces || 3rd || Mars || Satiety
|}
====Titles and attributions of the Swords Suit====
{|border=1
! Number !! Sign !! Decan !! Ruler of Decan !! Name
|-
| 1 || || || || The Root of the Powers of Air
|-
| 2 || Libra || 1st || Moon || Peace
|-
| 3 || Libra || 2nd || Saturn || Sorrow
|-
| 4 || Libra || 3rd || Jupiter || Truce
|-
| 5 || Aquarius || 1st || Venus || Defeat
|-
| 6 || Aquarius || 2nd || Mercury || Science
|-
| 7 || Aquarius || 3rd || Moon || Futility
|-
| 8 || Gemini || 1st || Jupiter || Interference
|-
| 9 || Gemini || 2nd || Mars || Cruelty
|-
| 10 || Gemini || 3rd || Sun || Ruin
|}
====Titles and attributions of the Disks Suit====
{|border=1
! Number !! Sign !! Decan !! Ruler of Decan !! Name
|-
| 1 || || || || The Root of the Powers of Earth
|-
| 2 || Capricorn || 1st || Jupiter || Change
|-
| 3 || Capricorn || 2nd || Mars || Work
|-
| 4 || Capricorn || 3rd || Sun || Power
|-
| 5 || Taurus || 1st || Mercury || Worry
|-
| 6 || Taurus || 2nd || Moon || Success
|-
| 7 || Taurus || 3rd || Saturn || Failure
|-
| 8 || Virgo || 1st || Sun || Prudence
|-
| 9 || Virgo || 2nd || Venus || Gain
|-
| 10 || Virgo || 3rd || Mercury || Wealth
|}
==References==
<references />
*Duquette, Lon Milo (2003). ''Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot''. Weiser Books.
*Wasserman, James. ''Instructions for Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot Deck'', included in the U.S. Games Systems publication of the deck.
==External links==
*[http://www.tarot.com/about-tarot/decks/browsedecks.php?newdeck=5 Pictures of all 78 cards]
*[http://www.lelandra.com/tarotbook/courtcorres.htm Corresponding Court Cards Between Decks]
*[http://www.fourthdimension.net/thoth/ Thoth Tarot Online Reading]
[[Category:Tarot decks]]
[[Category:Thelema]]
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