Bolognese Tarot Divination

• 1 Sources
• 1.1 Three sources are available:
• 2 General Characteristics
• 3 Divinatory Meanings of the Bolognese Tarocchi
• 4 Observations
Sources
Three sources are available:
• Ingallati, Maria Luigia, Il Tarocco Bolognese: l'arte della cartomanzia dall'antica tradizione popolare ai giorni nostri, Bologna,
Edizioni Pendragon, 2000 ISBN 8883420268
• Dummett, Michael, Tarot Cartomancy in Bologna, The Playing Card vol. 32 no. 2 (2003) pp. 79-88
• Vitali, Andrea & Zanetti, Terry, Il Tarocchino di Bologna, Bologna, Edizioni Martina, 2005 ISBN 887572024X

General Characteristics
Bologna has a tradition of cartomancy with tarot cards that goes back at least 300 years. Printed accounts began to appear
only in 2000, but manuscript evidence shows that the tradition has been propagated orally during the whole time of its
existence.
This form of cartomancy has been historically limited to the city of Bologna, Italy. It is independent of the French cartomantic
tradition, and is first attested earlier than 1750.

• The Tarocco Bolognese pack is used.

• 45 cards of the pack are used (typically).
• There are no special meanings for reversed cards.
• There are no correspondences of cards with esoteric doctrines (in the available sources).
• Divinatory meanings are based on a single keyword and its associations (i.e. they are simple rather than complex (invoking
correspondences with other divinatory or esoteric systems)).
Until 2000, the Bolognese tradition seems to have been a purely oral tradition, sometimes attested in manuscript, but never
published. Card readers therefore did not rely on any printed sources, but were trained by a representative of the tradition
directly. Although no survey has been taken, we may therefore expect there to be numerous "schools" in Bologna. This
seems to be borne out by the slightly different meanings assigned to certain cards, the different pips used in the manuscript
sources, as well as the different layouts which are to be found in the manuscript and printed sources. Yet the overall
homogeneity of this tradition, spanning at least three centuries, is remarkable.
The dominant style of Bolognese cartomancy for over two centuries has used only 45 cards of the 62-card Tarocco
Bolognese pack, although not always using the same pip cards.
However, the earliest record of Bolognese cartomancy known, a manuscript from before 1750, apparently assigned
meanings to only 35 cards; while Ingallati's 2000 book introduced a method using 50 cards. These kinds of variations are
consonant with a living oral tradition, although it is clear from the publications of 2000 and 2005 that printed sources have
begun to affect the tradition.
Therefore, an oral tradition of great antiquity is fast becoming a codified and literary tradition.

Divinatory Meanings of the Bolognese Tarocchi

Because all of the published sources make reference to the manuscript sources in addition to the oral tradition, the divinatory
meanings of the four known manuscript sources is given in tabular form below.
These sources are the following:
• A manuscript from before 1750, discovered and published by Franco Pratesi.
• Meanings handwritten on a pack of Tarocco Bolognese printed in the 1820s, with additions and "corrections" in a late 20th
century hand ("c. 1825" in the chart below).
• Meanings handwritten on a pack of Tarocco Bolognese made between 1862 and 1874 ("c. 1870").
• Meanings handwritten on a pack of Tarocco Bolognese printed in 1920 ("c. 1925").
An empty box indicates that this card is not used by the source.
Explanatory notes and observations follow the table of meanings.

Four Witnesses to the Tradition

Manuscript, Card pack, Card pack, Card pack,
Carte
early 18th c. c. 1825 c. 1870 c. 1925
TRIONFI
Wedding and
Angelo Angel Of the Angel Angel
settlement
Mondo Long journey For the world For the world World
Sole Day Day Time of day (or: daytime) Day
Luna Night Evening time Time of evening/of night Evening
Stella Gift Possession Possession Possession
Saetta - Sacrifice - His thunderbolt
Diavolo Anger Devilry Devilry Deception
Morte Death Mortification Mortification Death
Traditore Betrayal Betrayal - Betrayal
Vecchio Old Man Obstacle Imperfection Old things
Ruota - Wheel of Fortune Turning of the Wheel Wheel
Forza Violence Strong lady Novelty Strength
Giusta - Adjustment Justly Justice
Vettinparla or Vettimparla;
Tempra Time The passage of time Time
("last words"?)
In tempo di letto
Carro Journey Triumph Triumph
("bed time"?)
Amore Love Love Love Love
(Papi 2) - Foreigness Confirmation or proof -
(Papi 1) - Marriage Marriage Melancholy
Bégato Married man Chatter (idle) Playing about Chatter
Matto Madness Deeds of a fool Madness Fool
SEMI
Bastoni
An unmarried Young man
Re Batons in person Him
gentleman (Uomo gi.)
Regina Whore Queen/her Her Lady
Thought/Thought of
Cavallo Door-knocker Thought of himself Man of batons
the Queen
Fante Thought of the Batons in mind His thought Man
 ("Lady" added in 20th
Lady
century hand)
Dieci (-) - - Voyage
Nove (-) - The street -
Otto (-) - - -
Sette (-) - - -
Sei (-) The street Make a voyage -
Noble Noble Make noble
Asso Marriage
Baronate Baronate Fa baronate
Coppe
Gentleman P. (Galantuomo
Re An old man A cup Man
p.)
A "little cup"
Regina Married Lady (girlfriend?) Graceful Lady Queen of Cups
Coppina
Cavallo Settlement Agreement Accomodation Man of Cups
Fante The Lady A coppina Young lady Man
Knock on the
Asso The House Bed Own house
door
Sei (-) - - Under the cups
Sette (-) - On the roof -
Otto (-) - - -
Nove (-) Cups of the house - -
May it flourish!
Dieci Roof tiles Happiness Happiness
Che fiorisse
Spade
Re Evil tongue Dagger Youth King of Swords
Regina (-) Affliction Sad lady Queen of Swords
Evil tongue /
Cavallo (-) Evil tongue Man
Thought of dagger
Fante (-) Embassy - Evil tongue
Flowering
Dieci Tears - -
Fiorimento
Nove (-) - - -
Otto (-) - - -
Sette (-) - - -
Sei (-) - Passion -
 Note
Asso Letter At the door Knock at the door
Carte scritta
Denari
Re The Man Good news Gentleman King of Denari
Regina Truth Of confirmed truth Letter Queen of Denari
Thought of the Alla forza
Cavallo Letter Man of money
Man ("With force"?)
Bill/ticket
Fante Young lady Chatter Man
Biglietto
Outside of the
Asso Table Table-time Table-time table
Fuora di tavola
Sei (-) Tears Peace Money
Sette (-) - Tears -
Otto (-) - Money -
Nove (-) - - -
Dieci Money Money - Tears

Observations
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