A Brief History of Tarot

The link between alcohol and tarot cards goes back thousands of years. Many believe that the tarot originated in Egypt and it is also in this country of ancient mystery and wonder that archaeologists site the discovery of brewing. Alcohol and spirituality were first combined in the land of the Pharaoh’s. Egyptian High Priests would infuse wine with Lotus flowers. This potent cocktail would be consumed as a prelude to their secretive esoteric ceremonies.

If we follow the time line from ancient Egypt to the present day it is clear that the link between alcohol and spiritualism stayed intact. Archaeological evidence from Bronze Age Europe indicates the use of beakers lined with hemp to store mead. This heady brew was drunk at ritualistic feasts to heighten the participants' spiritual awareness. In Greek and Roman mythology Bacchus was the God of wine, wisdom, fertility, merriment, and inspiration. At feasts held to honour Bacchus worshippers would become intoxicated on alcohol believing that in this state they possessed divine powers and the ability to perform miracles. The Occult too has its associations with alcohol. Aleister Crowley the most famous Magician of the last century endorsed the consumption of alcoholic beverages, particularly absinthe, claiming they enhanced his Magickal powers. Crowley was an expert on the tarot and wrote one of the most important texts on the subject, ‘The Book of Thoth’. Even today in the twenty-first century the most powerful denomination of the Christian religion, the Catholic Church, uses wine in the act of Holy Communion to symbolise the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Here for the first time the ancient link between alcohol and tarot cards has been regained.