The Marseilles Lexicon by Mark Filipas Each pictorial element of the Marseilles trumps is listed below in English and in Hebrew(1). This list is based upon the Hebrew lexicon as it existed at the time of the early Tarot. Words highlighted in magenta denote words which are known to have existed in Medieval and Renaissance sources and are identified as such by Jastrow’s and/or Grossman’s Dictionaries(2). Words highlighted in cyan are also from those sources and denote explicit similarities between the literal meaning of that letter’s name (or derivatives thereof) and the corresponding trump image. Aleph Jugglery, Magic tricks — AChYZTh OYNIM Bench — ATzTBH Thin tube (in his hand) — ABVB Cup — ANBG, ANPQ Coin — AGVRH, ADVM, AYSR, ASThRA, ARGRVN Balls — ASQRYTY Cylinder — ATzTVNH Knife, Dagger — AVGRTh, ARRN Purse, Pouch, Wallet — AVDYA, ARNQ, APVNDH, APSThYP Fringe (on the pouch) — AVMRYTh, AYMRH Hat — APYLYVN, APYLYVTh Brim — AVGN, AGN Festive suit — ASTLYTh Waistband, Belt — ABNT, AZVRH Cloth shoes — AMPLYA Young shoots of a plant — AB Bet Sibyl, Seer — BDQ, BOLH, BOL HZYH, BTh QVL Reader of the Scriptures — BOL QRYAH Temple — BYTh Temple veil, Curtain — BNYThA Headdress — BYYKA, BRTzVTz Priest’s cloak — BGDY KHNH Pinafore — BTNVN Book — (transliteration not yet found in Hebrew sources) BYBLVS Words suggesting a possible allusion to Pope Joan: Virgin — BThVLH Sexual intercourse — BYTh (euphanism), BOYLH One no longer a virgin — BOL Pregnancy — BTN, BYTNThA Swollen belly — BVTNA Shame — BVSh, BYHVThA Gimel Queen — GBYRH Ball-shaped knob on cane — GLH Globe — GLVBVS Bird of prey, Falcon — GZ, GS Gear wheel (around her neck) — GLGL Wing (object at her waist?) — GDPA, GP Bowl-shaped capital of pillar (object at her waist?) — GLH Rounded peaks, Unhewn stones — GBVShYM, GBNVN Dalet Duke — DVKVS, DVRA, DVS Profile — DYVQN Beard — DQN Crown — DYR Wreath, Laurel — DVR, DPNH Carrying pole, Standard — DGLA Rostrum — DVKN Bird of prey, Kite — DAH, DYH Cloth shoes — DRDSA Grass, Sprouts — DYThAH, DQYThA, DShA He Pontiff — HGMVN Faith — HAMNH, HBTChH, HYMNV Temple — HYKL Consecration — HQDSh, HThQDShVTh Crown, Headress — HDR Divided into thirds — HShThLSh Clasp (around neck) — HDQ Bishops (chess pieces, the two figures) — HGMVN Baldness — HQRChH Vav Love — VDO Confession of love — VDVY AHBH Marriage — VGVHY Couple — VGVHY Elder — VThYQ Palm leaf (matron’s headdress) — VBA To point (all three figures are pointing) — VDY Wooden poker (arrow) — VDY Hook (arrowhead) — VV Zayin Triumph — ZKH, ZKY Military Guard — ZQYP Crown — ZR, ZVR, ZYR Moon — ZHRA Armor, Cuirass — ZYN, ZVNY, ZRDA Jewel in breastplate — ZVZYN Rod of an officer — ZMVRH War Horses — ZRZYR One with unequal pair of eyes or eyebrows — ZGDVM, ZGDN Cut off tail-end — ZNB Horse’s bit — ZMM, ZMVM Spokes — ZRVO Scaffolding, Pole — ZQYPA Silks used for canopies — ZHVRYVTh Seed, Grain (on the ground) — ZVN, ZYR, ZRO, ZKR Young shoots of a plant — ZRD Chet Judgment, Verdict — ChYThVK, ChLT Judge — ChKTh Sword — ChRB Eye of a needle — ChRYR, ChRR Thread — ChVT To weigh — ChShB Sun (symbol on headdress)— ChMH, ChRS Screen partition — ChYTz, ChYTzH Rope around the neck — ChNQA Young shoots of a plant — ChLP Tet Time — (transliteration not yet found in Hebrew sources) TMPV Elder — TB, TVB Prayer cloak, Cloak — TRYGVN, TLYTh Head cover — TRTYN To lift up — TLA, TLY To shine — TVP Rod — TLTL Three-legged — TRSQL Yud Iynx (oracular wheel of fortune) — YNQS To turn — YTzR To ascend, Rise to power — YRSh To prevail, To have power — YKL To descend, To become poor — YRD Creature — YTzVR, YLYLA Handle — YD, YDYTh Axle — YD Base — YSD, YSVDH Peg — YThD Sea — YM Kaph Strength — KCh, KChYVTh, KP To restrain, subdue — KBSh Crown — KVThRTh, KLYL, KRBLTh, KThR Bonnet — KMThH Cape — KLNYDYYA, KRVBThA Gown with wide sleeves — KNDA Cinched, Tied up — KRCh, KRK Tight sleeves — KYRVMNYQYA Lion — KPYR Dog, Wild dog — KLB, KVPRY Teeth — KKA Lamed Informant — LChSh, LYTYRYN Thief — LYSTA Capture, Snare — LKD Punishment — LQVTh Attached to — LVA, LVBD, LVY, LMD, LPP, LThA Strapped up — LBVB Sidepost — LChY Two posts supporting a beam — LVLB Tongue of flame (the lopped branches) — LHBH Board, Plank — LVCh Mortised boards — LMVD, LYMVDYM Athwart, Across from side to side — LVKSN Bound, Tied — LGTV Noose, Loop — LVLAH, LVLY, LLAH, LPTh Downwards — LMTH, LRO Tunic — LSVTH Moon (crescents on tunic)— LBNH Sprout — LVLB Mem Death — MVTh, MYThH, MMVTh Corpse — MYTh, MTh Reaper — MQTzRH Scythe — MGL King — MLK Queen — MLKH Head — MVCh Crown — MKLLThA Metacarpus (hand) — MThVK HYD Metatarsus (foot) — MThVK HRGL Threshing — MDYShH Lawn, Turf — MDShAH Nun Temperance, To be tempered — NZYRH, NPShR, NThChSM Continuous pouring from vessel to vessel — NTzVQ Flowing water — NVB, NVZLYM, NZL To pour out — NGR, NSK, NThK To fill up — NTP Vessel — NBGA, NBL, NGVDA, NChShTh, NTLA, Feathers, Plumage — NTzH Flower, Blossom — NTz Sprouts — NBYH Samech Satan — STN Thorny twigs — SVGYYNA, SYGA, SYLThA, SKK Polished metal helmet — SNVVRThA, SNVARThH Cross-eyed — SKY Fins (of a fish) — SNPYR Muffler (around neck) — SVDR Marked with red paint — SQRThA, SRT, SRQ To support, Prop — SMK Ring for attaching yoke — SVMK Rope of a yoke — SMVYN To attach, To tie together — SVM Tied up — SMYVTh Blade — SKYN Anvil — SDN Eunuch — SRYS Castration — SRS, SYRVS Fence — SGYA, SHR, SVGH, SChR, SYG Ayin Flash of light — ODY Fortification — OYR Ruin, Destroyed place — OY, OZVBH Evil eye — OYN Crown — OTRH Upper story — OLY, OLYH Attacked by fire — OYKVL To Detach, To tear loose — OQR Brickwork — OTRH Soot, Smoke, Debris — OPR, OShN Foundation of building — OVMQA Grass — OShB Peh Pleiades — PLYDVTh Paradise — PRDS Lights — PVTA Tree — PLVMRYH, PRSQ Bird — PVRYThH, PYRVZ, PRChThA, PRYGA, PRYDH, PShVShA Nakedness — PYOVR, PRM, PShT Navel — PRThA Orifice of the womb — PH, PVThH Bank of a Stream — PH Stream, Spring — PYGY, PLG Open vessels — PH Vessel, Jar — PK, PTYS, PYTVS, PYQTNY, PThRA To disperse — PVTz, PZR, PYZVR, PYLVG, PYS, PLG Parthenos, the Virgin — PRThNVS — possible allusion of the two vessels to the rivers of Paradise — The river Pishon — PYShVN The river Euphrates — PRTh Tzaddi Conjunction (of sun and moon) — TzRVP Heavenly bodies — TzBA HShMYM To eclipse — TzAL, TzLL Great Darkness, Deep Shadow — TzLMVTh To make desolate (implication of an eclipse) — TzDY Hyenas — TzBVOYM Baying at the Moon— TzOQ HY VQYM Droplets — TzChTzVCh Thirst — TzChYA, TzMA Pincers, Pair of tongs — TzBTh, TzNVRTh Water — TzNYM, TzNYNYM To be Submerged — TzLL To surface — TzP Castles, Rooks (chess pieces) — TzRYChYM Qoph Castor (and Pollux; twins of Gemini) — QYQYVN, QSTVR Summer - QYT, QYTz Sunbeam, Ray — QRN Droplets — QVRT Children — QTNVThYM Collar around neck — QVLR Wall — QVPYA, QYR Resh Resurrection (transliteration not yet found in Hebrew sources) — ? Sounding of the trumpet — RAOThA, RVO Raziel, the Herald Angel — RZYAL Regeneration — RGNRTzYH Small rectangular cloth (the flag) — RVNQYN Flames — RShP To raise up — RVM, RVMM, RYM, RMM Spirits of the Dead — RPAYM Tomb, Resting place — RBTz Young woman — RYBA, RYBH Elder man — RVBH Young man — RBY, RBYVThA, RVBA Pavement blocks — RBYOYTh, RVBD Shin Portal of Heaven — ShOR HShMYM (Portal — ShOR, Heaven — ShMYA, ShMYM) Intertwined boughs, Plaited branches — ShBShB, ShVBK, ShOR (Note that the letters ShOR spell both intertwined boughs and portal) Almond-shaped — ShQD Lattice work — ShBKH Bands (top and bottom plaiting) – ShBYS, ShVRYYNY, ShNTz To pass through a hollow space — ShChL To skip — ShRG Naked, Barefoot — ShVLL Strip of cloth — ShVSThG Cape — ShKMYH Scepter, Rod — ShBT, ShVLTYThA, ShRBYT Rod holder — ShVShTH Potion — ShQVYYA Angel — ShNAN, ShR, ShRP Eagle — ShLK, ShRQRQ, ShVRYNQA Lion — ShChL, ShChTz Bull — ShVR Tooth, Claw, Hoof, Horn — ShN Clouds — ShChQ Crescent ornament — ShHRVN Tav Folly — ThHLH, ThPLH Fool — ThVRMVN, ThRDA Vagabond — ThVOH Wandering, Waywardness — ThYVBA, ThOH Masquerade costume, Mask, Disguise — ThChPShTh, ThLBVShTh Crownlet — ThYN Timbrel (around waist and neck) — ThP, ThVP Knapsack, Travelling bag — ThRMYL To carry a knapsack — ThRML To suspend, To hang down — ThLY, ThLH Pole — ThRN Ladle — ThRVD Staff, Crutch — ThGDA, ThGRA Fox — ThOL, ThOLA, ThOLH Wolf — ThVRMVS Tearing off — ThLYShH, ThLSh Pantaloons — ThChThVNYM Underpants — ThChThVNYM Furrows, Hillocks — ThLVLYTh, ThL, ThLM, ThPThYChA —¤— Continue to The Tarocchino Milanese Lexicon the alphabetic sequence of the Soprafino iconography Back to the Index

Footnotes: (1) See the Hebrew transliteration key below. (2) See the Bibliography below. Key to the English transliterations above: A — aleph B — bet G — gimel D — dalet H — he V — vav Z — zayin Ch — chet T — tet Y — yud K — kaph L — lamed M — mem N — nun S — samech O — ayin P — peh Tz — tzaddi Q — qoph R — resh Sh — shin Th — tav Bibliography: · Jastrow, Marcus, Ph.D. Litt.D. A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and the Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature, The Judaica Press, 1992 (first published in 1903). · Grossman, Reuben. Compendious Hebrew–English Dictionary, Comprising a complete vocabulary of Biblical, Mishnaic, Medieval and Modern Hebrew, Dvir Publishing Co., 1938.

Copyright © 2002 Mark Filipas – 7/21/02