Display of the Thoth tarot cards in a museum

Thoth Tarot is an esoteric tarot deck painted by Lady Frieda Harris according to instructions from Aleister Crowley. Crowley referred to this deck as The Book of Thoth, and also wrote a 1944 book of that title intended for use with the deck.

Background

Crowley originally intended the Thoth deck to be a six-month project aimed at updating the traditional pictorial symbolism of the tarot. However, due to increased scope, the project eventually spanned five years, between 1938 and 1943.

Symbolism

The illustrations of the deck feature symbolism based upon Crowley's incorporation of imagery from many disparate disciplines, including science and philosophy and various occult systems (as described in detail in his The Book of Thoth).[1]

Differences from Rider–Waite tarot

Order and names of trumps

Crowley renamed several of the trumps compared to earlier arrangements, and also re-arranged the numerical, astrological and Hebrew alphabet correspondences of 4 trumps compared to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn's inner order deck in accordance with the Tarot of Marseilles, his 1904 book The Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis) and its "New Commentary."[2] In the "New Commentary" and The Book of Thoth, Crowley demonstrates that his trump arrangement forms a double loop in the zodiac-number and letter-number correspondences compared to the Golden Dawn deck, where there is no loop.[1]

All these old letters of my Book are aright; but צ is not the Star.[3]

Tzaddi is the letter of The Emperor, the Trump IV, and He is the Star, the Trump XVII. Aquarius and Aries are therefore counterchanged, revolving on the pivot of Pisces, just as, in the Trumps VIII and XI, Leo and Libra do about Virgo. This last revelation makes our Tarot attributions sublimely, perfectly, flawlessly symmetrical.[2]

For The Star is referred to Aquarius in the Zodiac, and The Emperor to Aries. Now Aries and Aquarius are on each side of Pisces, just as Leo and Libra are on each side of Virgo; that is to say, the correction in the Book of the Law gives a perfect symmetry in the zodiacal attribution, just as if a loop were formed at one end of the ellipse to correspond exactly with the existing loop at the other end.[4]

Crowley's double loop in the zodiac
NumberSignLetterName
IVAquariusTzaddiThe Emperor
VIIILibraLamedAdjustment
XILeoTetLust
XVIIAriesHehThe Star
Rider–Waite card Thoth equivalent
I: The Magician I: The Magus
II: The High Priestess II: The Priestess
VIII: Strength XI: Lust
X: Wheel of Fortune X: Fortune
XI: Justice VIII: Adjustment
XIV: Temperance XIV: Art
XX: Judgement XX: The Æon
XXI: The World XXI: The Universe

Names of court cards

Crowley accepted the Golden Dawn's changed names of all the court cards which can cause some confusion for people used to the more common decks. Specially since he changed the structure of the court cards, while each of the places retains much of the original meanings, there are subtle differences. The typical corresponding names are as follows:[5] }}

Traditional Court Card NameThoth Deck Court Card Name
KingKnight
QueenQueen
KnightPrince
PagePrincess

Minor Arcana

Wands

NumberSignDecanRuler of DecanName
1The Root of the Powers of Fire
2Aries1stMarsDominion
3Aries2ndSunVirtue
4Aries3rdVenusCompletion
5Leo1stSaturnStrife
6Leo2ndJupiterVictory
7Leo3rdMarsValour
8Sagittarius1stMercurySwiftness
9Sagittarius2ndMoonStrength
10Sagittarius3rdSaturnOppression

Cups

NumberSignDecanRuler of DecanName
1The Root of the Powers of Water
2Cancer1stVenusLove
3Cancer2ndMercuryAbundance
4Cancer3rdMoonLuxury
5Scorpio1stMarsDisappointment
6Scorpio2ndSunPleasure
7Scorpio3rdVenusDebauch
8Pisces1stSaturnIndolence
9Pisces2ndJupiterHappiness
10Pisces3rdMarsSatiety

Swords

NumberSignDecanRuler of DecanName
1The Root of the Powers of Air
2Libra1stMoonPeace
3Libra2ndSaturnSorrow
4Libra3rdJupiterTruce
5Aquarius1stVenusDefeat
6Aquarius2ndMercuryScience
7Aquarius3rdMoonFutility
8Gemini1stJupiterInterference
9Gemini2ndMarsCruelty
10Gemini3rdSunRuin

Disks

NumberSignDecanRuler of DecanName
1The Root of the Powers of Earth
2Capricorn1stJupiterChange
3Capricorn2ndMarsWorks
4Capricorn3rdSunPower
5Taurus1stMercuryWorry
6Taurus2ndMoonSuccess
7Taurus3rdSaturnFailure
8Virgo1stSunPrudence
9Virgo2ndVenusGain
10Virgo3rdMercuryWealth

Conservation

Harris' renditions of the tarot are on watercolor paper affixed to a thick backing; the acidity of the backing, according to a report from 2006, resulted in discoloration of borders, and to some extent, the paintings themselves. The paintings also required cleaning and the repair of small tears.[6] A conservation plan called for cleaning the surfaces, the removal of backing (while retaining original inscriptions), reuse of the hand-painted window mats, and replacement of overlays with acid-free, museum-quality paper. The project was completed in 2011.[6] The paintings are owned by the Warburg Institute; work was completed by the Institute's in-house specialist, Susan Campion.

References

Citations

Works cited

  • Crowley, Aleister (1974a). The Book of Thoth: A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians. Illustrated by Frieda Harris. Samuel Weiser, Inc. ISBN 978-0877282686.
  • Crowley, Aleister (1974b). Magical and Philosophical Commentaries on The Book of the Law. 93 Publishing. ISBN 0919690017.
  • Crowley, Aleister (1987). The Book of the Law. Weiser Books. ISBN 0877283346.
  • SEC (October 2011). "Conservation Report: Aleister Crowley/Freida Harris Tarot Cards". oto.org. Ordo Templi Orientis. Retrieved 26 January 2021.

Further reading

  • Understanding the Thoth Tarot Deck Meanings - An in-depth guide to the symbolism and interpretation of the Thoth Tarot deck.
  • Duquette, Lon Milo (2003). Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot. Weiser Books.
  • Ziegler, Gerd (1988). Tarot: Mirror of the Soul: Handbook for the Aleister Crowley Tarot. Weiser Books. ISBN 978-0877286837.
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