View Full Version : The Prager Tarot
Hi! This is my first post to this part of the forum. I have a question about a little 'almost' tarot deck I recently purchased at a used bookstore. It's a complete deck at 54 cards, but does not follow the 78 card tarot format. The instructions are by Stuart R. Kaplan. I like the deck...it's simple, bright and cheerful.
My question is, does anybody have any information about how to use it? I did a search and could only find two references for it...both from bookstores. I was wondering if any one else has the deck and what advice they have for reading with it...
For those not familiar with it, the back of the box says:
"Complete 54-card tarot deck based upon chaldean astrology and czechoslovakian folklore. Contains 22 Major Arcana and 32 Minor Arcana cards."
Any information anyone might have about this form of astrology and how to use the deck would be great!!!
Thanks!!
Traci aka dajax
Scorpion
11-05-2002, 13:23
Hi Dajax!
Fraid I can't say I've heard of this deck, and it's certainly the first time I've heard of a "complete" deck of 54 cards, but that doesn't mean it's wrong and it's definitely intriguing!
What caught my eye is your mention of Chaldean astrology. I thought you might like to check out the late Linda Goodman's work (according to the blurb she was "the world's best-known astrologer) - she was heavily influenced by this system: I've got "her" Star Cards, which is a divination deck consisting of 33 cards - if your Majors are relatively "standard", perhaps your Minors relate more to this deck, in which case I'd be happy to compare notes. The introduction explains "In numerology, Linda chose to follow the Chaldean system because...this system and the magical power and knowledge possessed by the Chaldeans commanded respect everywhere in the ancient world".
So, does your deck have 4 suits of 8 cards each? Is there anywhere we can view it online?
Have you tried a Net search for Chaldean?
Hi! Thanks so much for responding...I thought maybe nobody ever would.
I can't find the deck on-line...so how about this...I'll scan a suit for you to see and post it to my website. I'll also type out the description for use that Kaplan gives....
It's a pretty simple deck..very straightforward Major's...I'll scan several of those as well.
Just give me a few days, as I am currently upgrading my operating system...for the scans. I'll get back to you on the description later this weekend!
Thanks again for the reply! And the deck is complete...even though it is called the Prager Tarot, is not comprised of a complete 56 minor's. Once I forward the text description, maybe it will make more sense.
With warmth,
Traci
traci,
this sounds intriguing, i hope you will post your url here, i would love to see those cards.
i go to tsjechie each summer and i will definately go hunting decks there this year.
kaz
Hi, Dajax, welcome to Aeclectic...
The Prager Tarot is discussed in "The New Tarot," a book by Rachel Pollack in which she reviews a variety of decks. Here are some quotes from what she wrote:
"The commentary, by Stuart Kaplan, refers to the tradition in Prague, Czechoslovakia, of artistic cardmakers, especially W. Sewera, who published cards in the 19th century. In fact, the Prager Tarot has almost nothing to do with Sewera's elegant and imaginative Animal Tarock. The commentary also reminds us of Prague's very important occult tradition, with the famous Golem legend as an example. This too hardly seems to influence the cards.
"Some of the designs show an individual flair (the artist's name is not given). The Papess appears veiled, with a black cloth, suggestive of bat-wings, behind her head. The Empress may have a shaved head. We see a lunar crescent at her feet, with seven stars, for the Pleiades, above her head. A Fire triangle, upward-pointing, usually a symbol of maleness, appears over the genital area. The booklet refers to this as a triangle of motherhood. The Charioteer, by contrast, has flowing blond hair bedecked with flowers and a somewhat feminine face.
"The Minor cards, while not showing scenes, have occasional animals and objects to give them more life. The Ace of Wands bears a pair of salamanders, legendary animals associated in alchemy with the element of Fire. Noah's ark floats under the Ace of Cups, a serpent winds around the Ace of Swords, while on the Two of Coins a black bird, presumably a raven (associated mythologically with death and the Underworld) holds one coin in its beak and another in its claws."
"The Court cards seem standard, if somewhat ornate. Variations come on the masked Servant of Swords and the Knight of Cups with a fish on his helmet. The Coins cards depict bird emblems, an indication of a link with the element of Air. This makes the Swords Earth, as demonstrated in plants on the suit cards and bulls, for Taurus (an Earth sign) on the King and Queen.
"As usual in Tarock decks [Lee's note -- Tarock is a game played in Europe with Tarot-like decks which have decorative but non-symbolic pictures], the Prager Tarot contains 54 cards: 22 trumps, 16 court cards, and 16 suit cards. Traditionally, Swords and Batons include 10 through 7, but here they have Ace through 4, the same as Cups and Coins.
"The most interesting contribution in this deck comes in the booklet rather than the cards themselves [...] it goes on to describe Chaldean astrology [...] sadly, we find very little sign of this in the deck itself.
"The card of the World links the usual Biblical beasts to four stars which 'form a roughly-shaped rectangle in the sky that frames the world.' The booklet claims that the letters in the upper right corner of each trump refer to these astrological links. In fact, they are simply Latin equivalents of the Hebrew letters found on Kabbalist Tarots. For instance, D on the Emperor comes from Daleth, and UV on the Lovers from Vav.
"The Chaldean/geomantic suggestions open the possibility of a fascinating Tarot, with fresh images and mythological associations. Sadly, the Prager Tarot does very little with the ideas raised in the commentary."
Hope this helps, or is at least of interest --
Lee
Hi Everybody! Thanks to all of you who responded...I've been having some difficulty with my computer...sorry that it's taken so long to get back to all of you.
What I did was create a small page on Yahoo so that you all can see some of the Majors and the full suit of swords. I typed what I found interesting and want to look into more...I can scan the LWB for any of you who are interested and send it via email (the resolution can be larger that way, allowing for you to read it without a magnifying glass <grin>).
I really like this little deck. The colors are bright, cheerful, and the imagery simple. I wish that I knew more about astrology in general, let alone any of the other stuff Kaplan discusses...as I find that the deck puts out a great, positive, upbeat energy. I'll be interested in what any of you think. By the way, my usual reading decks are Thoth, Medieval Scapini, and the Universal Waite. The first two are so different from this, that I'm surprised that I connect with the Prager at all...but I do. I wish it was a complete 78 card deck so that I knew how to use it.
Thanks again for your replies...I hope this link proves to be interesting to those of you who responded!
http://www.geocities.com/imaviendha/
traci,
i like the cards, but i don't know a thing about chaldean astrology, so i son't have a clue how to use them. it says you can play the game of tarocchi with it, i know there is a link somewhere on this forum to the rules, but where?
how do you use them,?
when i am in tsjechie this summer i will have a look if they are in the shops there, and bring one back.
kaz
Ok, I got this one in my collection but franky speaking I don't see where is a relation to Chaldean astrology in it. I am still not sure if we can consider the Prager Tarot as a "real" tarot deck (sorry but to me a tarot deck has to have 78 cards).
baba-prague
09-11-2005, 03:51
I agree that it's a nice deck to have (and I think Muller still sell it - not sure, I haven't checked recently). But I honestly have never thought it has much to do with Prague - as Rachel says in her review the most famous myths don't seem to have had any influence on the images.
But you post has made me think I should look at the deck again.
@baba-prague: I ordered my copy of the Prager Tarot just a couple of days ago from AGMüller and nearly dropped to the floor seeing that the LWB has turned yellow with age. I am wondering if my copy was dusting on some shelves from around 1982 until now.
The cards look nice and are in splendid shape. The colouring is bright and I wish there were more than just the 54 cards of it.
I really think this deck has nothing to do with Prague or Chaldean astrology (guess the latter is just a trick to increase sales figures).
What if whoever designed this deck knew what they were doing,
but all the books (including the manufacturer's instructions) are
wrong about it? Maybe the artist (a la Pamela Colman Smith :) )
had her own ideas and creative impulses unknown to any others.
Ok, Fulgour, this is another possiblity we should take into consideration.
I think I may be going to do a study of The Prager :)
Let's remember how different the LWBs can be from
the decks they are packaged with~ look at Convos.
And when I read the instructions in Grimaud~phew!
Of course I will add here that many LWBs are great!
The Tsigane has an LWB that is... gently delightful.
Ok, Fulgour, this is another possiblity
we should take into consideration.Numerologie und Tarot. Ein Handbuch nach den Schlüsseln im Prager Tarot
von Günter Hager
Sondereinband - 117 Seiten - Agmüller Urania
Erscheinungsdatum: Juni 1996
ISBN: 3908644844
(Amazon;)de)
Hm, I guess I even bought this book ages ago and was not very pleased with it, maybe I should re-read it again. Thanks, Fulgour, for bringing it back to memory. :)
The Parger Tarot
Say we start over with this deck, look at it ourselves..
without little white books by Stuart Kaplan or 'opinions'
by erudite authors typing away just to fill another page.
What is it? The Chaldean Astrology can wait for later...
the Major Arcana is simple enough ~it's the 22 cards~
but what about the Minors? Kaplan spouts the history
of decks in his collections, but he collects copyrights!
So~ we have Ace thru 4 and then the four Court Cards.
Noting that 1+2+3+4= 10 we see the Pythagorean logic,
and nothing to do with tarock...that makes a fresh start
there~ and I think it also brings us to the oft mentioned
"Czechoslovakian Folklore" associated with the Prager...
*
For a child who grew up with the stories and pictures seen
in some of these cards, what would they say about them?
What are the clues that the adults have missed so far here,
and this can also mean the broader depth of true Folklore...
baba-prague
18-04-2006, 11:31
The Parger Tarot
and I think it also brings us to the oft mentioned
"Czechoslovakian Folklore" associated with the Prager...
*
For a child who grew up with the stories and pictures seen
in some of these cards, what would they say about them?
What are the clues that the adults have missed so far here,
and this can also mean the broader depth of true Folklore...
Well, what IS the Czech folklore in these supposed to be? Maybe I need to look at the cards for real - I've never seen the deck in person. But the most important myths don't seem to be there - or have I just not seen them? Someone enlighten me please!
Hi :) baba-prague
If I read these, would it help? I will anyway...
because I am excited to have found them but,
what are the 'most important myths' to read?
The Key of Gold: Czech Folk Tales (Index)
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kog/index.htm
*
The cards have delightful details in costume
and special touches...hard to describe here.
baba-prague
18-04-2006, 11:53
Ah, no, sorry, that's not what I meant. I do know a lot of Czech folk tales (and local myths and fairytales and tales of the alchemists and - most fun - the tale of the big black dog that comes out at midnight and trots round Prague with you - I hope to meet him one day) - what I don't know is where exactly they are supposed to be in this deck.
But thank-you for the kind thought!
Edited to add. Oh goodness, cross-purposes again. You are asking me about these? Whoops, sorry, I am a bit distracted with mourning for my hard disc that just died. Well, there is loads to read, but I doubt it will get you anywhere with the "Prager" tarot. But the tales of these parts are terrific and worth a read in their own right.
Here is where I am still blind... but I think
the clues are right out in the open...IF...
a person knows what they are looking at.
I can recommend this deck as "charming"
simply all by itself ~ and I am on the trail
to learn its magic...hidden under my nose.
baba-prague
18-04-2006, 11:59
Here is where I am still blind... but I think
the clues are right out in the open...IF...
a person knows what they are looking at.
I can recommend this deck as "charming"
simply all by itself ~ and I am on the trail
to learn its magic...hidden under my nose.
I think the magic isn't there - it's just called "Prager" as a sales thing. Call me cynical :-)
Which doesn't mean it isn't charming (maybe I should buy it?)
But if I'm wrong about the "hidden" stuff, I'd love to know what you discover.
I've never seen the deck in person. But the most
important myths don't seem to be there...I'm still interested in hearing more about
the most important myths...it'd help! :)
baba-prague
19-04-2006, 04:47
Depends what you mean by myths - and what is meant by "Prager" (are these supposed to be Prague myths specifically? In which case of course one looks to the Alchemists, Rudolph - myths and fact of course - the Golem, the whole "Seer of Prague" thing and so on). If it's Prague myths, begin by reading Ripellino's "Magic Prague" - it's out of print but there are lots of copies usually around. You could also buy "Opus Magnum" - which is a book that came out to accompany an exhibition on Rudolph and alchemy here a few years ago. Mostly good stuff - though with some articles that are better researched than others. Fantastic visual material. Thames and Hudson also publish a good book specifically on Rudolph - you should be able to find it on Amazon.
If it's fairytales then there are several good collections of Bohemian folk and fairy tales. You can find some on Amazon, or Abe (I think better than that site you had, which seemed not particularly Bohemian, but more generally European). There is also an excellent collection of Rom tales and sayings in print, but it's in Czech and besides, is mostly gathered from Slovak Roma.
There is a book on Bohemian tales that every school-child here reads. But the English version is out of print and a very high price (I've been searching for one). I'll dig out the title in English for you.
Then, of course, there is the Czech esoteric/occult tradtion - Lasenic, the Universalia group and so on. Nearly all the decent material is in print, not on the web, and it's in Czech. We are gradually reading it right now (but that is Alex's focus more than mine). I suppose one should also mention Bardon - not that he is a myth! But this is all post-1900 esoteric stuff. I am guessing the deck is supposed to be based on older myths?
So - it all depends what on earth this deck is claiming to be including - there is an awful lot of potential variation in what is meant by "Prague, or Czech, or Bohemian myths". If you can tell me what the deck is claiming (I don't have a copy), I can suggest some more specific reading.
Again, though I am not exactly urging that you do all this (!) - on the cards I've seen, there is no reference to anything much and I think it will be more or less a wild goose chase. I still think "Prager" simply sounded like a good title. It may also be meant as some reference to the famous Prague card makers of former centuries (that IS a whole other thread). But they are nice cards - and rather 1970s/80s European in flavour, which I quite like.
I still think "Prager" simply sounded like a good title.Thank :) You! The information provides a comprehensive
starting point for me to get grounded in my researches.
Right now, all I have that is coherent is encyclopedias.
This darling little deck seems to have been BURDENED by
marketing buzz words and hoopla past all recognizablility.
"Prager" is really so inappropriate, I agree it was made up.
And the way its unique composition is misunderstood too,
54 cards, but not like tarock decks: it has 1, 2, 3, 4 only.
Chaldean Astrology... where did that come from? except
really ALL astrology has its roots in Chaldea and the East.
But there does seem to have been an effort to relate the
majors to fixed star constellations...Oswald Wirth did too!
I'd like to FREE this deck from what's been done to it and
finally unpeel the onion surrounding its mysterious origins.
I have (re)discovered what may possibly
be one of the Keys to "The Prager Tarot"
The Legend of the Wonderous Hind
Fred Hámori
main site
http://users.cwnet.com/millenia/stagg.htm
The Hungarian Legend of the Wondrous Stag
is one of the oldest legends of the nation...
related link
http://www.pinetreeweb.com/stag.htm
*
"The Hungarian Legend of the Wondrous Stag is one of the oldest legends of the nation. It is so old that it is found in various forms among those nations who were the distant relatives or neighbors of the Hungarians, long before their settlement in Hungary. The meaning and the wording of the legends may have changed slightly but they all have much in common.
"Today the remaining legend is relatively short, whereas in the past it was probably much more extensive. However the Hungarian legend despite it's brevity includes in it many important points some of which can be found in most of the related legends found in other cultures. It is these points which show that once, in the remote antiquity, these people were neighbors or some were even related.
"The symbol of the cosmos and the mother of the sun was symbolized as a large horned female doe. The great horned doe often was shown carrying the sun in her horns, in some cases the sun itself was symbolized as a stag the son of the doe of the legend.
"The hind represents not the sun, but it's mother, the heavenly firmament,
the cosmos, which carries the stars, the sun and the moon in it's "horns".
For these reasons the Scythian stags often represented the horns of the
stag like flames."
Fred Hámori
baba-prague
08-05-2006, 13:53
? But what does Hungary have to do with Prague?
Genuine question by the way, I'm at a loss, but do say more.
Oh - and is there such a stag in the Prager tarot?
Personally, I am interested in the inclusion of the stag in imagery as a symbol of prudence or of faith (I just came across a wonderful example). If it's in the Prager, please can you post a scan?
? But what does Hungary have to do with Prague?
Genuine question by the way, I'm at a loss, but do say more.Uh oh... too much coffee in my sugar :eek: but "something" ;)
did click~ and isn't that often the way when one searches?
I was searching for information on Budapest and got lost...
awhile back I got a very lovely old Rider deck and the seller
said it had been owned by a women from Budapest, so I did
a search to find something nice to put on my box in memory.
PS: My Great-Grandmother, Mary Holman-Schwermer
was from Austria... I have a delightful picture of her.
Between my Irish German Scottish and Austrian I may
be geographically challenged (much the way birds are).
PPS: The "Prager" has emblems ~ and yes, there's a stag.
baba-prague
08-05-2006, 14:47
Oh well, nice place, Budapest.
Anyway, I will take SOME persuading that this deck isn't simply a sweet, whimsical little piece of fairly typical Czech 1970s graphics - I still see nothing mysterious in it - apart from the fact that the poor old artist seems to get no credit.
But have fun!
Vienna is nice too I believe.
Oh well, nice place, Budapest.
Vienna is nice too I believe.Československo
Austria-Hungary until 1918
Bohemia, Moravia, a part of Silesia,
northern parts of the Kingdom of Hungary
Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia
:) Pravda vítězí
How often have we seen an illustrator of books
"for children" also design a marvellous Tarot..?
Perhaps the designer of The Prager is also the
author and illustrator of...
Miraculous Hind: A Hungarian Legend
Text & Illustrations by Elizabeth Cleaver
Holt Rinehart & Winston, July 1976
ISBN 0039282783
*
La Biche Miraculeuse: Une LéGende Hongroise
by Elizabeth Cleaver
Translated by Irene Aubrey
ISBN 0039282791
baba-prague
26-05-2006, 13:03
Československo
Austria-Hungary until 1918
Bohemia, Moravia, a part of Silesia,
northern parts of the Kingdom of Hungary
Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia
:) Pravda vítězí
No - the folklore of Bohemia and Hungary is quite, quite different! The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a political structure but did not much alter the underlying myth and folklore. Bohemia has been occupied and "owned" repeatedly by different empires. In terms of folklore it shares something with both Bavaria and Moravia (edited to add - and bits of Austria), but not (in any significant way) with Hungary!.
The two cultures just do not share the same folkloric roots on the whole - for one, the populations and languages have quite separate sources. Bohemia has a Celtic, then Slavic derived population. You could say that there is a certain Central European set of folk tales, that's true, but that doesn't make a Hungarian myth likely to show up in a "Prager" deck. It's like saying that a Danish myth might show up in a "Marseille" deck because they are both now Western Europe LOL.
Nice try - but I still think there's nothing "Prague" about this deck - and I do know my local folklore :-)
The illustrations are in a style that can be found in numerous books here from the seventies and eighties. It may indeed be done by a Czech artist. But then again, perhaps not. I doubt the person who did it thought they were doing anything more than a pretty set of playing cards - and they are indeed pretty.
But, I think I'll exit from this thread now. If you would prefer to believe the deck has a significant iconography I think that's nice. But I don't share this belief - I see no evidence of it. Have fun with the deck!
____
Edited to add - oh, there you go, yes a bit of googling and it turns out the illustrator is Jan Bouzek. I think he is still alive and working. He was in 2004 anyway (he did a book-signing at the book fair here). You could always email him and ask him about the deck I guess - if you can track down a contact address.
Jan Bouzek.Thanks :) Baba!
*
Why not stick around? You bring a special touch
to the discussions here ~ since it's only just us!
This is so funny because I just received my 3rd copy
from a friend in Germany~still in the 1982 cellophane.
And... it's a pre-USGames edition...in a cool blue box.
My total cost: $12.45 delivered :laugh:
Tarotkarten - "Prager Tarot"
Jan Bouzek (illustrator)
Prager Tarotkarten= Prague Tarot
Must be kind of a touchy subject!
click on: reference (http://www.parasearch.de/h/h03030702/3-905021-50-1.htm)
*
ISBN: 3-905021-50-1
Mitarbeiter: Jan Bouzek
Illustrator: Jan Bouzek
Erschienen bei: AGMüller Urania
click on: reference (http://www.bol.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/prager_tarot_tarotkarten/stuart_r_kaplan/ISBN3-905021-50-1/ID2043088.html;jsessionid=fdc-nt2b0v6i632.fdc62)
*
BOUZEK, Jan: Pravěk českých zemí v evropském kontextu.
What do you suppose this is all about?
"Mitarbeiter" translates as "Co-worker" and
so we continue... Jan Bouzek worked with?
Oh yes! I am excited about my book too...
I think it will be exactly the right one for all
the Folklore ~ not to be too picky about it.
baba-prague
27-05-2006, 04:53
Thanks :) Baba!
*
Why not stick around? You bring a special touch
to the discussions here ~ since it's only just us!
LOL! No, no, no, I'm out of this one. I feel like I'm being a damp squib anyway, and if you're enjoying the quest then why not?
Edited to add - OH! Just realised you are saying you have bought a book on Hungary to find out about Prague??!! No, it's a whole different COUNTRY. Please at least buy a book on Prague - or Czech Republic. Otherwise it's the equivalent of reading a book on Finnish myths in order to find out about Paris. ROTFL. Though I'm sure Hungarian myths are very interesting :-)
There are loads of books on Czech myths - at least begin with one of those pleeeese!
Meantime I have to decide if we will do a new edition of OUR Tarot of Prague next year - it's now OOP, although the distributor has some kits still. But if we do, it would be a whole new edition and a lot of work. Hey ho, have to think about this.
Maybe we should do a Tarot of Budapest? (DEFINITELY only joking!)
Oh, if you do contact Bouzek I'd love to hear what he says. BTW, I don't think (I'm not sure, but it seems unlikely) that he is the same Jan Bouzek as the anthropology professor who comes up on Google. It's not that uncommon a name really. I'll take a look at some point (no time now) and see if I can see who he publishes with here. He's an illustrator, mainly of children's books.
Just realised you are saying you have bought
a book on Hungary to find out about Prague?No. I bought a book on Folklore
to find out about The Prager...
Folklore isn't even about books.
baba-prague
28-05-2006, 11:28
No. I bought a book on Folklore
to find out about The Prager...
Folklore isn't even about books.
Czech folklore? As in Prague, as in Prager?? We're in Czech - Hungary is a long way away in many senses :D
Oh well, whatever. Have fun :-)
Oh well, whatever.Well, just think... after all this, now you won't
even have to bother buying your own copy! :)
baba-prague
28-05-2006, 11:35
I was just gifted one - which is really nice :-)
I promise to give it a loving home in Prague - I may even take it for a short walk in Golden Lane (no, really, I may).
Oh gosh, sorry, just read your earlier post. No, no, not a touchy subject at all - please don't be concerned. We knew the Prager of course (it came out ages ago from AG Muller) but it's so unlike Tarot of Prague that I can't see anything to worry about - or even to consider to be honest. There are of course much earlier "Prager" tarots too - but it means they are made in Prague - they're not about Prague and follow the standard central european pattern (with some gorgeous embellishments). There are one or two famous and very beautiful ones, such as the Sewera Animal Tarock (in my dreams, one day, I will find that deck) - the card makers here were very well known in their time.
If I'm touchy - sorry, don't mean to be - it's more about the idea that Hungary and Czech are interchangeable. They are just so very different you know (though I do love Budapest). But please don't take my "touchiness" too seriously, I've had fun with this thread - hope you have too.
But must now regrettably go do other things.
I was just gifted one - which is really nice :-)Also try looking at the Aces as "ones" with the cards,
and I've been thinking there is a relationship like this:
King with Four
Queen with Three
Knight with Two
Page with One
The symbols seem to work, and the inner dynamic too.