The History of Tarot — Origins, Myths, & Evolution

Tarot is a 78-card deck split into 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. Today people use it for insight, coaching, creativity—and yes, divination. But it didn’t start that way. The earliest decks were luxury playing cards for nobles.

The oldest surviving tarot cards—like the Visconti‑Sforza—were handcrafted in 15th‑century Northern Italy. They were game decks called trionfior tarocchi, not occult tools. Courts commissioned artists to paint allegorical trump cards (the future Major Arcana) that elevated play. No fortune‑telling manuals, no secret temples—just art, status, and games.

In the late 1700s, Antoine Court de Gébelin claimed tarot preserved ancient wisdom. Soon after, the professional reader Etteilla published spreads and meanings. Their influence reframed tarot from pastime to portal. Whether or not their history was accurate, the idea caught fire: you could readwith tarot, not just play it.

Occult orders like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn mapped tarot onto the Tree of Life, elements, and planets. A.E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith created the Rider–Waite–Smith deck (1909), the most widely taught system today. Later, Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris produced the Thoth Tarot. These decks set the visual and symbolic DNA many readers use now.

The Egyptian‑origin story is a gorgeous myth, but historians find no evidence before Renaissance Italy. Likewise, there’s no rule that a deck must be gifted to work. You can buy your own, shuffle your own, and still have powerful readings. Keep the romance—ditch the limits.

The Majors speak in archetypes—big life themes. The Minors track everyday energies across four suits: Wands (drive), Cups (feelings), Swords (mind), Pentacles (material). Numbered cards show a journey; courts bring people and roles to life. Understanding this skeleton makes any deck less intimidating and way more useful.

Early decks were one‑of‑a‑kind art objects. With woodcuts and later lithography, tarot spread to cafés and living rooms. The 20th century made RWS ubiquitous; the 21st century opened the floodgates to indie artists, inclusive iconography, and digital reading apps. Tarot keeps evolving with the tools of its time.

Games move with people. Tarocchi spread through Europe; French occultists gave it a second life; English‑language publishers sent it global. Today you’ll find local spins everywhere—from Marseille traditions to modern manga‑inspired decks—each culture adding its own symbolism and style.

Many modern readers approach tarot as a mirror rather than a mandate. It can spark journaling, clarify choices, or prompt brave conversations. Therapists and coaches sometimes use card imagery to unlock insight—carefully and ethically—because images bypass overthinking and reach the intuitive voice.

Digital tools help you log spreads, tag questions, and track repeated cards over time. AI can summarize trends, suggest prompts, and highlight blind spots—while you choose what resonates. Tech shouldn’t replace your intuition; it should amplify it and make your practice easier to sustain.