foolish
the assumptions that are made are:
1) that images common to the culture of "religious" art of the time were used to portray other meanings. this was not the first case that this process was done. there is evidence, for example, that the manicheans used similar methods of memory tools in the past. for obvious reasons, the real identities of the cards could not be openly exposed. the very fact that you are questioning this process is evidence in itself that the disguise process works. we should keep in mind that heretics of the middle ages used many different methods of secrecy, including special handshakes, signs and phrases which were only known to other heretics (until the inquisitors forced the information out of them through torture). for example, when a guest entered a home, he may ask, "is there a crooked stick in the house"? at which the owner would reply, "have a seat", if there was no one to fear. my point is that various methods of secrecy had to be developed in order to preserve the messages of the cathars. the creation of the tarot trumps could very well have been just one of those methods, especially since we know that cards were used to convey various forms of information to a genrally illiterate population. which leads me to my second assumption:
2) that the events surrounding the devastation of the cathars and the land owners of languedoc, such as count raymond VI of toulouse, were significant enough that the story would have to be preserved by later generations. it was simply too horrific to let slip away into oblivion. and
3) there doesn't seem to be any other explanation of the development of the tarot which is based in the historical context of the times, other than it was simply an addition to an already existing game of cards. other theories of origin such as the egyptians, the gypsies, petrarch's trionfi, etc. just don't seem to explain the tarot as a whole, in which every card fits into the mold.
the changes which i am refering to are from the italian tarot (which preceded the introduction of the tarot into france) to that of the marseilles decks. i am not saying that the marseilles tarot created a new image, they used the ones that were already in existence, as you have indicated. my question is why did they bother to change them at all? it would have been easier to just copy the italian decks. unless, of course, they chose to impart their own meanings to the cards and decided that other images would suit those meanings better.
i am also not saying that the cards were established soley for the purpose of conveying religious or spiritual messages. in fact, i believe that the first part of the trumps had more reference to historical figures and events. both the historical story and the spiritual messages of the cathars would have been an important part of what these people wanted to pass on.
i believe that i have based my theory in historical facts and it is in this context that the cards can be understood as a historical art form. obviously, i did not have the time or space to present all of these facts on this forum. of course, it is virtually impossible for anyone to prove a theory like this one beyond a shadow of doubt. however, i think think i make my case as well as any other theory out there. i have yet to see anyone come up with something that explains all of the cards in a historical context. most of the tarot "experts" out there have presented ideas of what the cards mean in a philosophical or psychological sense, as in the spiritual progress of the individual, etc. the problem with this type of interpretation is that it is open to a subjective free-association of sorts where the magician is the individual, the star is hope, the wheel is change, force is courage, etc. etc.
i would be interested in knowing what simpler theory you are refering to that is backed up by historical fact and that also explains each and every card.
(i can already see that my anticipation of heated debates and expected resistence is shaping up! good going!)
1) that images common to the culture of "religious" art of the time were used to portray other meanings. this was not the first case that this process was done. there is evidence, for example, that the manicheans used similar methods of memory tools in the past. for obvious reasons, the real identities of the cards could not be openly exposed. the very fact that you are questioning this process is evidence in itself that the disguise process works. we should keep in mind that heretics of the middle ages used many different methods of secrecy, including special handshakes, signs and phrases which were only known to other heretics (until the inquisitors forced the information out of them through torture). for example, when a guest entered a home, he may ask, "is there a crooked stick in the house"? at which the owner would reply, "have a seat", if there was no one to fear. my point is that various methods of secrecy had to be developed in order to preserve the messages of the cathars. the creation of the tarot trumps could very well have been just one of those methods, especially since we know that cards were used to convey various forms of information to a genrally illiterate population. which leads me to my second assumption:
2) that the events surrounding the devastation of the cathars and the land owners of languedoc, such as count raymond VI of toulouse, were significant enough that the story would have to be preserved by later generations. it was simply too horrific to let slip away into oblivion. and
3) there doesn't seem to be any other explanation of the development of the tarot which is based in the historical context of the times, other than it was simply an addition to an already existing game of cards. other theories of origin such as the egyptians, the gypsies, petrarch's trionfi, etc. just don't seem to explain the tarot as a whole, in which every card fits into the mold.
the changes which i am refering to are from the italian tarot (which preceded the introduction of the tarot into france) to that of the marseilles decks. i am not saying that the marseilles tarot created a new image, they used the ones that were already in existence, as you have indicated. my question is why did they bother to change them at all? it would have been easier to just copy the italian decks. unless, of course, they chose to impart their own meanings to the cards and decided that other images would suit those meanings better.
i am also not saying that the cards were established soley for the purpose of conveying religious or spiritual messages. in fact, i believe that the first part of the trumps had more reference to historical figures and events. both the historical story and the spiritual messages of the cathars would have been an important part of what these people wanted to pass on.
i believe that i have based my theory in historical facts and it is in this context that the cards can be understood as a historical art form. obviously, i did not have the time or space to present all of these facts on this forum. of course, it is virtually impossible for anyone to prove a theory like this one beyond a shadow of doubt. however, i think think i make my case as well as any other theory out there. i have yet to see anyone come up with something that explains all of the cards in a historical context. most of the tarot "experts" out there have presented ideas of what the cards mean in a philosophical or psychological sense, as in the spiritual progress of the individual, etc. the problem with this type of interpretation is that it is open to a subjective free-association of sorts where the magician is the individual, the star is hope, the wheel is change, force is courage, etc. etc.
i would be interested in knowing what simpler theory you are refering to that is backed up by historical fact and that also explains each and every card.
(i can already see that my anticipation of heated debates and expected resistence is shaping up! good going!)