Origins in Renaissance Italy
The tarot deck as we know it today has its origins in 15th century northern Italy, where it began not as a mystical tool, but as a card game. The earliest known tarot cards, called carte da trionfi (cards of the triumphs), appeared in Italian courts around 1425-1450. These early decks were commissioned by noble families such as the Visconti and Sforza of Milan, who ordered luxuriously hand-painted cards adorned with gold leaf and ultramarine.
These original decks consisted of the four suits similar to modern playing cards (cups, swords, coins, and batons) plus a fifth suit of picture cards with allegorical illustrations. This fifth suit would eventually evolve into what we now call the Major Arcana.
From Game to Divination Tool
For nearly three centuries, tarot remained primarily a card game (called tarocchi in Italian, tarock in German, and tarot in French) popular throughout Europe, particularly in France and Italy. The game spread across Europe through trade routes and royal marriages, with regional variations developing in different countries.
The transformation of tarot from game to divination tool began in the late 18th century, coinciding with a period of heightened interest in the occult and mysticism. In 1781, French occultist Antoine Court de Gébelin published “Le Monde Primitif,” in which he claimed (without historical evidence) that tarot cards contained the hidden wisdom of ancient Egypt, preserved by Egyptian priests and brought to Europe by Romanies.
The Occult Revival
The occult interpretation of tarot gained significant momentum in the 19th century. In 1856, Eliphas Lévi, a French occultist, connected the 22 cards of the Major Arcana with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the paths of the Kabbalah. This association cemented the tarot’s place in Western esoteric tradition.
The formation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in London in 1888 marked another pivotal moment in tarot history. This influential magical society, whose members included W.B. Yeats and Aleister Crowley, developed a comprehensive magical system that incorporated the tarot. Their work established correspondences between the tarot and astrology, alchemy, and Kabbalah that continue to influence modern interpretations.
Modern Tarot Decks
The most influential tarot deck of the modern era, the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, was published in 1909. Created by Arthur Edward Waite, a Golden Dawn member, and illustrated by artist Pamela Colman Smith, this deck revolutionized tarot by depicting full scenes on all cards, including the Minor Arcana (which previously featured only suit symbols, similar to playing cards). The rich symbolic imagery made the deck more accessible for divination and provided visual cues for intuitive reading.
In 1944, Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris created the Thoth Tarot deck, which incorporated Crowley’s magical and astrological theories. This deck, with its abstract art and complex symbolism, offered an alternative to the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition and continues to be highly influential.
Contemporary Explosion of Tarot
The mid-20th century saw tarot become increasingly mainstream, particularly during the New Age movement of the 1960s and 1970s. During this period, tarot was embraced for psychological insight and self-discovery rather than strictly for fortune-telling.
The late 20th and early 21st centuries have witnessed an explosion in the variety of tarot decks available, with artists and creators developing decks that reflect diverse cultural perspectives, artistic styles, and spiritual traditions. Contemporary decks explore themes ranging from feminism and LGBTQ+ representation to pop culture, minimalism, and specific cultural mythologies.
Tarot Today: Beyond Divination
Today, tarot has transcended its origins as both a game and a divination tool to become a versatile medium for psychological exploration, creative inspiration, meditation, and personal growth. Many modern practitioners view the cards not as supernatural predictors of fate but as tools for accessing intuition and examining life circumstances from new perspectives.
Psychologists, including Carl Jung, have noted parallels between tarot imagery and archetypal symbols from the collective unconscious, suggesting that tarot’s enduring appeal may lie in its ability to reflect universal human experiences and psychological patterns.
The academic study of tarot has also evolved, with historians, art historians, and cultural anthropologists examining the cards’ artistic, social, and cultural significance through the centuries.
Conclusion
The journey of tarot from Italian Renaissance playing cards to contemporary spiritual tool demonstrates its remarkable adaptability across cultures and time periods. What began as a pastime for nobility has evolved into a globally recognized system of symbols that continues to resonate with people seeking insight, meaning, and connection.
Whether approached as a historical artifact, a divination practice, a psychological tool, or an art form, the tarot remains a fascinating mirror reflecting our collective search for understanding in an uncertain world. Its enduring appeal speaks to humanity’s timeless quest to make meaning from symbol and story—a quest that shows no signs of diminishing in our modern age.