Suit relations

Bluemanticore

I have read that the four tarot suits can be related to other themes of four.


tarot suit=playing card suit=social rank=element

wands=clubs=farmers=fire

cups=hearts=church=water

swords=spades=military=air

pentacles=diamonds=merchants=earth


Has anyone else heard of these relations? If so, do you know where they originated? And what is your opinion regarding them?

Blessed be,
BlueManticore
 

Rusty Neon

The relations Farmer, Cleric, Military, Merchant to the four suits are traditional and go back some time. The historians can fill you in more.

Etteilla's court cards are based on the Farmer, Cleric, Military, Merchant. However, his Cups courts weren't that cleric, albeit some of them were spiritual. Subsequent to Etteilla, however, the King and Queen of Cups of the Etteilla deck have been nicknamed le Pape (the Pope) and la Papesse (the Popess), and the Valet of Cups has been nicknamed le Camérier (an officer of the chamber of a pope or cardinal).
 

Rusty Neon

Pending the historians' comments, I'd like to point out that the four classes of medieval society related to the suits flow naturally from the suit emblems. It's probably obvious but I thought I'd point it anyway.

Sceptres/Batons = farming implements = peasants
Swords = weapons = military or nobility
Coins = money = merchants
Cups = communion chalice = clergy
 
mythologically speaking...what does gnosticism have to do with tarot? Henry VIII Knights Templar poser