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    The Key to the Tarot
    The Key to the Tarot
    The Key to the Tarot
    Ebook69 pages1 hour

    The Key to the Tarot

    By W. Wynn Westcott

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    THIS curious relic of an age long past cannot fail to attract the attention of every earnest student of the Mysteries; its beauty of design, its careful execution, its obvious antiquity, its certain connection with that most incomprehensible scheme of religion—the Egyptian, all combine to fascinate the mind and stimulate the intellect in a search for the explanation of the purpose and meaning of this very elaborate pictorial work of Art.

    Mysterious in its conception, of unknown origin, and of peculiar workmanship, this Tablet merits examination and research.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPubMe
    Release dateMar 23, 2015
    ISBN9786050367140
    The Key to the Tarot
    Author

    W. Wynn Westcott

    William Wynn Westcott (1848-1925) was an English Rosicrucian and Theosophist, Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, and founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Westcott was a prolific writer on occult subjects, including numerous articles in theosophical periodicals, Rosicrucian pamphlets, and several books, including his 10-volume Collectanea Hermetica. Born on December 17, 1848 in Leamington, Warwickshire, England, Westcott became active in Freemasonry in 1871. He became Master of his home lodge in 1874, and later Master of the Quatuor Coronati research lodge (1893-1894). In 1879 he moved to Hendon, and began studying the Kabbalah the following year. He joined the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (SRIA) and became chief of the SRIA in 1891, following the death of William Robert Woodman, with whom he co-founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1887, along with Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. Using the motto V.H. Frater Sapere Aude, the Golden Dawn was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of the occult, metaphysics, and paranormal activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as a magical order, it was active in Great Britain and focused its practices on theurgy and spiritual development. Around this time, Westcott was also active in the Theosophical Society, and founded The Adelphi Lodge in London W.C. in 1891. In 1896, Westcott abandoned public involvement with the Golden Dawn due to pressure regarding his job as a Crown Coroner, but continued to head the SRIA and was later involved with the Golden Dawn breakaway Stella Matutina. He retired as a coroner after 1910, emigrated to South Africa in 1918, and died in Durban on July 30, 1925, aged 76.

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      The Key to the Tarot - W. Wynn Westcott

      BEMBO.

      Detail Images

      THE ISIAC TABLET OF CARDINAL BEMBO.

      THIS curious relic of an age long past cannot fail to attract the attention of every earnest student of the Mysteries; its beauty of design, its careful execution, its obvious antiquity, its certain connection with that most incomprehensible scheme of religion—the Egyptian, all combine to fascinate the mind and stimulate the intellect in a search for the explanation of the purpose and meaning of this very elaborate pictorial work of Art.

      Mysterious in its conception, of unknown origin, and of peculiar workmanship, this Tablet merits examination and research.

      From the time of the learned Orientalist Kircher, and of the Classic Pignorius, many eminent archæologists and men of letters have devoted their energies to the elucidation of the hidden object of the designer, who must have been as erudite in all the arts and wisdom of the Egyptians, as he was skilful in execution. The well-known names of Montfaucon, Shuckford, Warburton, Keysler, Caylus, the Abbé Banier, the Abbé Pluché, Jablonski, Kenneth Mackenzie, Kenealy, Wilkinson, Eliphas Lévi, and Bonwick, all of whom have ventured some opinions, are sufficient proof of the worldwide interest that this Mensa Isiaca has aroused. Many years have now passed away since the Author made a labour of love of the drawing of the Tablet from which the Photogravure in this volume was taken; and his drawing being finished, his work seemed incomplete until he had supplied as its companion an explanatory treatise, however scanty and imperfect it may be deemed. He begs the indulgence of many a learned reader for its short-comings, and if he has apparently undervalued the opinions of the modern school of scientific Egyptology, it is only because of his conviction that the Tablet is essentially of an Esoteric character, and therefore insusceptible of ordinary methods of interpretation.

      The Photogravure provided with this little volume, 10 ins. by 8ins., is of course much smaller than the original, which is approximately 50 ins. in length, and 30 ins. in breadth.

      So far as can be ascertained, the Tablet has not been engraved nor printed in its entirety since 1719, when it was published in France by Montfaucon, and it has never been printed in England.

      The Isiac Tablet is of Bronze, the designs are inlaid upon its upper surface, and are composed partly of silver and partly of a dark coloured enamel, which has somewhat the tint of steel (niello work). Some portions of the silver ornamentation are missing, perhaps they have been removed by force for their intrinsic value, during the turbulent Middle Ages, although it is possible they may have become loosened and lost by accidental violence.

      Around the whole Tablet is a border of small designs, or Limbus, as Kircher called it; at each corner is a many-petalled rose-like flower, these divide the Limbus into four portions; two vertical, a right and left, and superior and inferior portions. Within this border there are three principal horizontal divisions; the Upper and Lower Regions are of equal depth, the Central Region is deeper and is further subdivided.

      The Upper Region presents Twelve principal erect human figures, and several smaller designs.

      The Lower Region presents Twelve principal more or less human figures, of whom two, the second and eleventh, are standing in porticoes; and two others are seated, the fifth and the eighth; there are also interspersed among these, several smaller figures; as a boy; a dog-headed human figure, a cat, a bird, and other curious mystic designs.

      The Central Region presents a Middle Grand Scene, extending over two-thirds of the whole length, consisting of a Throned Female under a Canopy, on each side of her is a triad. Each triad consists of a Seated figure, a human attendant and a winged human figure; there are also two birds in each lateral scene. At each extremity of this Grand Scene are placed designs somewhat similar to each other; each consists of an upper compartment, representing a Bull

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