New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-01
ORIGIN OF TIME KILLER
Beginnings Of Playing Cards
Shrouded in 0bsCurity.
TRACED TO ISRAELITES
Divination and 0ccultism Have
Played a Part in Producing
the Modern Game.

The origin of playing cards is lost in a
dim and obscure past. and their authentic
history can only DC traced as far back as
the ifteenth century. Various theories
have been brought forward as to the
source from which European countries
obtained them. Some contend that they
came from the East; others. that they
had an independent origin, like that of
the Swastika. the Egyptian charm. which,
though discovered in China centuries ago.
was known at the same time in MeXco
An idea once prevailed that they We're
invented 10 amuse a mad French king,
bet the only foundation for this hypoth-
esis is the fact that a French document
dated 1892 shows an entry OF a payment
made for painting cards for Charles VI.
They seem 10 have been used by the
Arabs and Saracens for divination. and
even now they are still used to some con-
Siderable extent fOn that purpose. II is
also an established faet that in past ages
many Eastern peoples especially those Of
India and China, possessed cards which
differed materially bothiR use and In de-
sign from those known TO thee Western
world at later date. II is impossible for
one to trace the beginnings Of card lore,
but there is little doubt that the people
of the East held playing cards, IN high
esteem as mediums for the partial revela-
ton of the unknown and included them
as a part of their mystic lore.
NUMBERS THAT WERE IDEAS.
The earliest cards were 'tlie farots, and
they are supposed TO have been the IN
vention of Jacques Gringonneur. an as
trologer and cabalist who was probably
Of Jewish extraction the Tarots packs eN-
tant in Europe being OF an israeltsh
character. Occultists trace. the' Tarots
mack into the distant past According 10
them. heroglyphics were based upon an
alphabet in which the gods We're letters
the letters we're ideas. the ideas numbers.
and the numbers perfect signs. This al
phabet is supposed TO date back 10 the
DAYS of Abraham, and is known as the
Book OF Thoth." Moses. who was learned
I'm Egyptian lore. took the secret to ms
people. and it is supposed TO nave come
down to us in the Tarots.
The famous cartomancer Etteilla VINO
was eagerly sought after as an exponent
~ the mysteries Of the Tarots during the
Reign Of Terror in France. gives another
theory OF the TarOts. when he says "On
a table or altar in the Temple Of Ptah at
Memphis. at the height of the breast oil
the Egyptian Magus, were on one Slde'
nook or collection Of cards, or plates OF
gold dhc Tarotsl. and on the other a
,ls. According TO this authority,
,bc name "Tarot' Is derived from the
rure Egyptian word Jsr," path, and
.ro " "ros." "roc." royal; the combined
meaning reading. The Royal Path of
Life"
one writer on occult science, MacereS-
or Mathers. says that the title Book of
Thoth." or the Tarot cards. is derived
from the Egyptian word "taru,' which
means Ito consult" Papus, in his Key
10 Occult Science" gives a reason why
the ancient Egyptians conhded their Sc
crets 10 the Book of Thoth.' lie says
that when the overthrow OF the Kingdom
Was at hand the priests met in solemn
conclsve 10 decide what means might be
used to keep their secrets inviolate for
the initiates OF all future ages. After
much elaboration and debating il was
held best to confde these secrets 10
something which appealed TO vice in man
and not to his nobler qualities; thus the
Book OF Thoth" was complied
ASCRlBED TO THE SARACEN.
fifteenth century writer says that
playing cards were first knowh at Viter-
DO in 1879, and were introduced by the
Saracens 1t is q fact, however. that
cards were first called "Naioi," which
suggests that the Arabs and Moors, as
we'll as the Saracens, flrst introduced
cards, for the Hebrew and Arabic words
''nabi." "naba." ''nabas" signify 80 fore
tell" thus showing that their original
purpose was for divinaton and that the
playing Of games with them was an after
thought.
As TO the Eastern origin OF cards and
The theories connecting Them with early
Eastern occult philosophy, DR.. Wiltshire
regards them as Of too reconcile AID
shadowy character 10 admit of satls-
factory discussion lie inclines 10 the
belief that ITALY was the European coun-
Iry. and Venice the district. in which they
frst appeared. They were in existence at
Venice in the fifteenth century, and
though at first they had only numerical
values, at this date there were coat
lcourD cards. and "atritu' (trumps)
In Spain the pack as now. consisted or
dfty-two cards, but only contained nu-
merical values. There were many va
rieties in France and Germany, and Eng
land seems TO have borrowed ideas from