Hi- I have always thought he was resting his foot on a Knights Helmet/Salade. The Bevor is closed(faceplate). In medieval times it was symbolic of hidden thought. This King is thought occasionally to be jealous- maybe thats Lancelot's Salade? Oh and I remember a helmet is supposed to represent Pluto?Hades as well(the Helmet of Darkness). ~Rosanne
Edited to add. Place reckons that it is a primitive carved bulls head like on the throne- I disagree.
Now that you mention it Fulgour, it does look like a boar's head. I thought it was a large dog. The symbolism would work in either case. Symbolically, the thing that seems important, to me anyway, is the head.
Hi fof ~ Did you notice too, of ALL the Court Cards...
The King of Pentacles is the only one holding the symbol
of his/her Element in his LEFT hand... very cool indeed.
Hehe I have looked at other versions, and I recant that is not a Helmet, that is a Head of Thoth (I thought it might have been a spinx head) Not a Boar at all Fulgour!!! Now is that not a putdown to ol Crowley or not?~Rosanne
I believe that the King of Pentacles rests his foot on a Tortoise. Whereas the King of Cups shows the head of a Turtle on the right side of the card.
The tortoise is an earthly symbol/animal that lives on land & is slow & methiodical much like the King of Pentacles. This King being quite grounded acknowledges the tortoise by resting his foot on it.
The turtle is a water symbol/animal as it swims in the sea. It represents creativity (that is perhaps hidden) which is a big part of water sign people. This King being aloof & somewhat detached does not see the turtle's head rising out of the water as he is looking the other way.