What Is The Symbolism Of A Spade
A unique question that many want answered is What Is The Symbolism Of A Spade?
Ancient lore is filled with stories of The Spade. We see the Spade every time we play a card game. At this symbol page, they suggest that “The spade represents a leaf of the “cosmic” tree, and thus life. Along with its companion suit, clubs, spades represent fall and winter and the power of darkness. In the Tarot, they symbolize intellect, action, air, and death.”
But here the stories only begin. When we ask What Is The Symbolism Of A Spade, we need to dig deeper!
We find many phrases including the word Spade. Black as the Ace of Spades is commonly used to refer to dark objects such as the sky at night or a person of color. In fact, the darkness of the symbol resulted in a racial epithet being used, referring to people of color as “Spades.”
We find a great history of the word Spade on Wikipedia. In war, the word Spade was used on several occasions. In World War II, the soldiers spray painted the word Spade on their helmets for luck since the Ace of Spades is the best card in the deck.
In the Vietnam war, the Spade was used as a psychological symbol. Since the spade is the “death card”, the US Soldiers would place it next to the bodies of killed Vietnamese soldiers intending to use the card to frighten the enemy.
At Wikianswers What does a Spade Stand For? , we learn the importance of which way the spade is actually facing. In the answer, they claim,
1) When the Apex or point of the Spade points up in the reading it means a conclusion, an ending. Considered the Death Card, meaning the death of circumstances, not people, 90% of the time. Remember, with death, there is always a new beginning. Death in reading cards is a door offering a new beginning. 2) Apex pointing down: The card is telling you about someone or something at a distance, not in this location, usually quite far away.
The spade comes into play a lot in cartomancy. Cartomancy is the art of divination using a common deck of playing cards. Here, you can read the playing card symbolism of a spade. And in the article Tarot Reading With The Suit Of Danger And Troubles, we learn more of the darkness of spades. This article also teaches the art of cartomancy.
And in church symbolism, we even learn that Adam–biblically referred to as the first man in the world–had the symbol of spade.
The symbolism of a spade is clearly not light. It’s not for summer. It is dark and powerful.
One thing is clear–The Spade demands respect!

Perusing the Internet this morning, I happened upon the 