ORIGINS OF THE TAROT ORIGINS O

Origins of the Minor Arcana, the first volume in the Learn Authentic Tarot series, presents the story of the Tarot's much-neglected Minor Arcana, particularly its origin story, which is to be found in the symbolic and gaming traditions of the Chinese and the Arabs. Set against the backdrop of humankind as Homo symbolicus (symbolic man) and Homo ludens (playful man), this volume illustrates how the gradual evolution of symbolic expression, together with the integral nature of play in human culture, ultimately led to the invention of playing cards and their transmission across the Eurasian landscape and into Europe, where they served as the foundation for all European playing cards, including the Tarot.This volume abolishes the numerous origin myths surrounding the Tarot, especially its occult pseudo-history, and highlights the Tarot's true origins in the gaming traditions of the Near East and Egypt. Lavishly illustrated and beautifully presented, this volume contains a sizeable collection of stunning color photos, including a full presentation of the Chinese money cards, the original Mamluk deck, and the Tarot's Minor Arcana. Heavily researched, but eminently readable, this popular scholarly account of the Tarot's Minor Arcana is the definitive work on the early, formative history of the Tarot's Minor Arcana.