The Fascinating History of Tarot Cards Through Time
Taken for granted in the gadgetized world, tarot cards have a rich, multilayered history. In sum, tarot is a type of guidance that is based on a deck of 78 cards, each used to peep into the future, comprehend the present, and gain insight into the past. You can either ask an expert to do the reading for you or do it yourself. The history of tarot cards begins with their origins as playing cards, evolving into tools for reflection and guidance.
How It All Started
According to the existing data, the first deck was invented before the 14th century. It is known as the Egyptian Mamluk, which served as the predecessor for the early European cards. Scholarship has found out that Europeans were creating their own cards by the late 1300’s. They were similar to the Egyptian deck mentioned above yet had variants of the court cards and suit symbols.
How It Went
15th-century Europe brought tarot into the modern world in the form of a deck of playing cards. In Italy, people called them ‘tarocchi’ and used the decks to play various games like Triumphs. Today, we know it as a bridge. They used a deck that comprised 4 suits (like those in modern playing cards) and added a set of trump cards, each with a different illustration. Sometime later, the cards began to be called ‘Major Arcana.’ As for the oldest preserved deck – the Visconti-Sforza Tarot – it was created for rich families from the noble circles. Each card was hand-painted and adorned with various mythological and philosophical themes from the Renaissance. Every suit had 6 court cards with a female and male of all ranks. Plus, it had Charity, Hope, and Faith – 3 theological virtues.
Tarot Gaining Momentum
Now let’s rewind. Originally, tarot cards were hand-painted. They were rare, one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Creating a full deck of dozens of cards was a very costly process that took a lot of time. Only nobles could afford such items. These early versions of cards were often considered luxury objects more than divination tools.
The revolution in the tarot world started with the invention of the printing press. The cards became more popular and mainstream. Production became faster and more widespread. This was a turning point that allowed tarot to travel beyond Italy, reaching France and the rest of Europe. This change wasn’t just about production — it influenced culture. What was initially considered entertainment for the elite turned into a tool of psychology, mysticism, and self-study. It began to reflect collective imagination and the social climate of the time.
Moreover, printing made tarot cards more accessible and sparked creativity. Many artists began adding unique personal touches, inventing new symbols, and implementing regional aesthetics into their decks. Since then, thousands of decks have been created — each with its own unique vibe and magic.
Mysticism and Divination
At the beginning of the 18th century, tarot took on a new meaning. Both divination and mysticism appeared on stage. Among those who infused the esoteric meaning into the nature of tarot was a French writer, Antoine Court de Gébelin. The writer published the work known as ‘Le Monde Primitif’, which was full of theories that a lot of his contemporaries (and the reps of the next generations as well) debunked. However, the seed of mysticism was successfully planted by the author of ‘Le Monde Primitif,’ and many people got incredibly interested in the mystical side of the matter. The trick here is that even though the evidence behind his words was insufficient, the works of Antoine Court de Gébelin were quite significant and still influence today’s divination of tarot.
Then there was Etteilla (the real name – Jean-Baptiste Alliette), who was an occultist focused in his studies on tarot. It is important to mention that Jean-Baptiste Alliette was someone who created the very first tarot society. What’s more, he stood behind a range of theories about tarot. For example, Jean-Baptiste Alliette saw the tarot cards as a detailed description of how the universe was created.
During the same period (18th – 19th centuries), his supporter and like-minded person, Eliphas Levi, also worked on the ideas given in the ‘Le Monde Primitif.’ Levi was sure that tarot cards were old – older than Moses! In his works, Eliphas Levi mentioned that it was the four-letter name of God that stood behind the 4 suits. That’s when the world saw the very first deck of tarot cards created to do divination sessions. Everyone had an opportunity to purchase the deck together with a detailed guide on the tarot card meanings that stood behind each card. And then interestingly, the author of the guide linked tarot with things like alchemy, Kabbalah, astrology, and so on. That was the moment when followers of tarot practices began to use the decks of symbols for spiritual needs.
The Rider-Waite-Smith Era
The tarot that people use all over the world today is something that derives from the well-known Rider-Waite-Smith. It was created in 1909 as a result of the fruitful teamwork of Pamela Colman Smith (a truly talented artist!) and a real mysticism scholar, Arthur Edward Wait. They collaborated to create the Rider-Waite-Smith, which is still popular at the moment (even more than it was before). Taking into account the fact that Rider-Waite-Smith includes cards with very accurate and detailed illustrations, the moment when the deck was created was just a hit in the world of tarot. Users could use it for reading, interpretation, and divination at a much deeper level due to the symbolic scenes and visually striking storytelling. If there are the most popular and widely used cards for deeper introspection, the Rider-Waite-Smith deck is on the list. Just like before, it inspires tarot readers (both beginners and advanced users) with dozens of variations that are suitable for modern life.
To cut a long story short, a lot of different mystical theories exist on how tarot was created and why. But the reality is that all of these theories are united by the same (or almost the same) interpretations of the cards. When it comes to the most common interpretations, let’s mention the well-known reading of the Major Arcana. It includes the Trump cards and the fool that may also be referred to as ‘Fool’s Journey.’ What do we see here? Based on the interpretation, we can confidently say that the whole of Major Arcana tells the story of the fool. The latter is a clear representation of ‘the everyman’ on his path to enlightenment (‘The World’). In this case, the rest of the cards are about the events that may happen on his path, together with the people he encounters.
How About Today?
Just like in pre-historic times, tarot cards keep on transforming and advancing to meet the needs of the most diverse cultures, requests, concerns, and so on. It’s evolving non-stop while creators exert every effort to provide people with an opportunity to do tarot readings in fields like LGBTQ+, feminism, philosophy of environment, etc. Thus, the symbols and narratives become quite flexible and universal for all aspects of life.
A lot of reps of the global tarot community still use the decks to tell the future. However, many view it as a tool to reflect on their inner selves and grow in all possible ways. While reality makes us absolutely unsure about the future, present, and even past, sometimes, tarot becomes a magic wand used to explore what remains unconscious, get a better idea of why tough times come, as well has become connected to the time-tested art of symbolism and storytelling.
Wrapping Up the History of Tarot
With the variety of tarot decks that are available today, a lot of fans of this practice try to find what works best for them. But the trick is that no such thing as the best tarot cards exists. For example, the most popular deck is the Rider-Waite. Created in the early 1900s, the Rider-Waite is now just one of a lot of options. The modern world of tarot cards is full of surprises — from My Little Pony to Lord of the Rings, Hollywood classics, and Alice in Wonderland. There is no single best option out there, because it all depends on your own preferences and your unique vibe. Your intuition will guide you when you’re browsing through different tarot decks. Picking the right one for you must be based on what speaks to you the most — not only visually, but also emotionally.
If you pay attention to different decks, you’ll realise that every deck has its own spirit. For example, some decks are surreal, others are traditional, and some are romantic. Many tarot readers follow Rider-Waite symbolism strictly, while others completely change it and reinvent their own symbolic system. The variety of decks gives space to everyone — collectors, daily readers, beginners — there is a deck that matches the rhythm of each person. When you choose your deck, you’ll recognise it. The main advice is to take your time, consider different options, look at the decks, and try to establish an energetic connection with them.
