The Crystal Arcana

[Fulgour]

The Crystal Arcana

Can we create a Major Arcana of 22 composed of Crystals?
The Major Arcana of the Tarot consists of 22 Significations.
Each of the 22 Major Arcana Signifies one of the following:

Air/Mind
Water/Body
Fire/Spirit

Moon Venus Mars Mercury Sun Jupiter Saturn

Aries Leo Sagittarius
Cancer Scorpio Pisces
Libra Aquarius Gemini
Capricorn Taurus Virgo

 

[Fulgour]

(click on underlined names to view)

I Le Bateleur :: Metamorphic
II La Papess :: Peridot
III L'Imperatrice :: Emerald
IIII L'Empereur :: Lapis Lazuli
V Le Pape :: Amethyst
VI L'Amoureux :: Raw Emeralds
VII Le Chariot :: Zircon
VIII Justice :: Sapphire
VIIII L'Hermite :: Azurite
X La Roue de Fortune :: Opal
XI La Force :: Ruby
XII Le Pendu :: Sodalite
XIII sans nom :: Sedimentary
XIIII Temperance :: Turquoise
XV Le Diable :: Ulexite
XVI La Maison Dieu :: Malachite
XVII L'Étoile :: Onyx
XVIII La Lune :: Moonstone
XVIIII Le Soleil :: Clear Quartz
XX Le Judgement :: Selenite
XXI Le Monde :: Igneous
__ Le Fol :: Topaz

 

[Fulgour]

I am not sure if the following would properly qualify,
but I have a strong feeling that these Rocks are perfect
for the Three Elements of the Tarot Majors:

Air/Mind
Water/Body
Fire/Spirit

Metamorphic Rocks
These are rocks of either Igneous or Sedimentary origins that
have been altered due to heat and/or pressure, with some help
from chemically active fluids. The word comes from the Greek
words , meta, meaning change, and morphe, meaning form.
No melting is involved and the rocks remain solid all the time,
though they may become folded and contorted by pressure.

Sedimentary Rocks
These rocks are created from sediments, the broken up particles
of other older rocks. Common rocks such as chalk, sandstone and
clay are sedimentary rocks formed from the accumulation of eroded
material on the Earth's surface.

Igneous Rocks
The word Igneous comes from the latin, ignis, meaning fire.
In ancient times volcanoes, the source of many igneous rocks
were thought to be mountains that were on fire, so the rocks
were known as fire rocks. We now use the term to describe
all rocks that have been formed from molten rock, whether
they formed on the surface or at depth within the planet.

http://www.zephryus.demon.co.uk/geography/tvs/lessons/Rocks01.html

 

[Tarotphelia]

Interesting !! There was a thread a while back about what people would do if tarot became illegal. I decided I would "hide" the tarot major arcana in stones and use it that way. Either making a symbol on the stones to represent each card , or using a different stone to represent each one. (And I often wonder if the stones in rune form were not the predecessors of tarot on cards anyway.)

And just think, no predetermined imagery to bog the tarot intuitivists down.

Maybe the Fool should be Hematite or Topaz, the Hierophant Amethyst, and the World should be clear Quartz?

 

[Cerulean]

One of my favorite books

in Italian does this...I just need to scoop it out from where it is playing peek-a-boo.

If I had a say right now, my lapis heart with pyrite and gold-like streaks seems to be doing a High Priestess smile and enfolding itself within a starry blue mantle...once I get the book back, I'll post the suggested crystals! The book is diving into mysterious depths, which is probably why I misplaced it.

Cerulean

 

[Fulgour]

The Triadic Unity :: Three in One

I Le Bateleur (Mind-Air) Metamorphic
XIII _____ (Body-Water) Sedimentary
XXI Le Monde (Spirit-Fire) Igneous

In many ways The Triadic Unity found in the "three elements"
of the Major Arcana marks them out as uniquely separate from
the other 19 cards. It's like the magic thread binding the cloth.

Air Water Fire
Mind Body Spirit
Action Reaction Completion

 

[Cerulean]

Here it is from Tarocchi Italiani di Gumppenberg 1830

My attempts at translating--thanks for the thread, I found the book hiding in a bookshelf, not a drawer or table or some such thing. Imagine a book in a bookshelf!

I - Magician/Bagatto : Emerald - Power of magic

II - Popess/Papessa: Pearl - iridescences and meditation

III - Empress/ L'Imperatrice: Red Tourmaline symbolizes fecundity

IV - Emperor/ L'imperatore: Lapis Lazzuli - control and dominant power

V.Il Pope/Papa: Yellow Topaz - spiritual inspiration

VI. Lovers/Gli Amanti: Rose-brown Jasper - Aids in distiguishing vice and virtue

VII. Chariot/Il Carro: Green Jade - courage for victory

VIII. Justice/La Giustizia: Sapphire - for impartiality

IX. Hermit/L'Eremita: Dark Purple Amethyst - spiritual equilibrium

X. Wheel/La Routa della fortuna: Sky Blue Turquoise - benefits of material and spiritual

XI. Strength/La Forza: Ruby red - victorious energy

XII. Hanged Man/L'Appeso: Aquaramarine - elevation of spirit

XIII. Death/La Morte: Amber with yellow, blue and black, metamorphous

XIV. Temperance/La Temperanza: Blue tourmaline - calm interior

XV. Devil/Il Diavaolo: Black tourmaline for conquering

XVI. Tower/La Torre: Obsidian - harmony in difficulty

XVII. Star/La Stelle: Diamond - transparent for the intellect

XVIII. Moon/La Luna: Mother of Pearl - luminescent and light

XIX. Sun/Il Sole: Transparent Amber for vital energy

XX. Judgement/Il Giudizio: Red Tourmaline for firey purification

XXI. World/Il Mondo: Violet Amethyst equilibrium with the cosmos.

0. Fool/Il Matto: Blue opal - evolution of the spirit

This is probably based on modern 'new age' color and symbolism, I am not finding any explanation of 'history' on the assignment. Hope it's a nice little adjunct...

Regards

Cerulean

 

[Bluemanticore]

As a matter of fact, there already exists a complete tarot deck called "The Tarot of Gemstones and Crystals." It is one of my favorite decks, particularly because of its combo of stones and tarot. I love to use it for readings and spells. It has beautiful photographs of each stone on the cards.
The major arcana stones it gives are:
0. Fool- Silex
1. The Magician- Herkimer Diamond
2. The High Priestess- Aventurine
3. The Empress- Emerald
4. The Empreror- Purpurite
5. The Hierophant- Diamond
6. The Lovers- Ruby
7. The Chariot- Sugilite
8. Justice- Tourmaline Quartz
9. The Hermit- Lapis Lazuli
10. The Wheel of Fortune- Alexandrite
11. Strength- Onyx
12. The Hanged Man- Aquamarine
13. Death- Amethyst
14. Temperance- Rose Quartz
15. The Devil- Snowflake Obsidian
16. The Tower- Calcite
17. The Star- Moldavite
18. The Moon- Moonstone
19. The Sun- Sunstone
20. Judgement- Ametrine
21. The World- Watermelon Tourmaline

Also, Scott Cunningham in his book "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, gem, & Metal Magic" talks of a Stone Tarot.
The cards and their associated stones are:
0. The Fool- Agate
1. The Magician- Quartz Crystal
2. The High Priestess- Emerald or Pearl
3. The Empress- Peridot, Olivine, or Turquoise
4. The Emperor- Ruby
5. The Hierophant- Topaz
6. The Lovers- Rose Quartz
7. The Chariot- Staurolite, Cross Stone, or any twinned crystal
8. Justice- Carnelian
9. The Hermit- Sapphire or Blue Tourmaline
10. The Wheel of Fortune- Sardonyx or Black Opal
11. Strength- Diamond, Herkimer Diamond, or Garnet
12. The Hanged Man- Berly or Aquamarine
13. Death- Amber
14. Temperance- Amethyst
15. The Devil- Black Diamond, Black Tourmaline, or any square black stone
16. The Tower- Lodestone, Lava
17. The Star- Meteorite or any star stone
18. The Moon- Moonstone or Chalcedony
19. The Sun- Sunstone or Tiger's Eye
20. Judgement- Fossil
21. The World- Opal or Kunzite

 

[RedMaple]

This is fascinating. I just finished writing a book of poems based on my mother's jewelery, and spent a lot of time on line researching gems and semi-precious stones. I'll get back to you with my list.

 

[Fulgour]

Are there crystals that are frequently associated with
each of the original 7 traditional heavenly bodies...
I know of the metals but even these vary depending.

Arranged here in order of their distance from the Earth:
Moon - Venus - Mars - Mercury - Sun - Jupiter - Saturn