The History of Tarot — Origins, Myths & Evolution
Ten quick chapters. Scan now, dive later. Each section is crafted to stand alone as its own SEO target while linking into a complete, reader‑friendly guide.
1) Playing-Card Beginnings (14th–15th c.)
Tarot started as a game. Early decks like the Visconti–Sforza grew from European playing cards, themselves influenced by Mamluk designs. Suits, courts, and numbered pips came first; the trump images (Major Arcana) were added later as a bonus set for a trick‑taking game called tarocchi. History before mystery.
2) From Italian Courts to Marseille Style
As the game spread from Northern Italy to France and Switzerland, woodblock printing standardized a look: bold lines, primary colors, and archetypal figures — the Tarot de Marseille. These images became the visual DNA many later artists copied, remixed, or rebelled against.
3) The Myth of Egypt & The Book of Thoth
A romantic 18th–19th century idea claimed Tarot was a secret Egyptian book of wisdom. It’s a beautiful story — and almost certainly a myth. Yet the myth mattered: it re‑framed Tarot as a vessel of ancient knowledge, opening the door to esoteric systems and occult study.
4) From Parlor Game to Divination Tool
By the 1700s–1800s, readers began assigning meanings to cards — numerology, astrology, elemental attributions. Cartomancers wrote manuals, spreads emerged, and Tarot took on a second life: not just play, but insight. The deck became a mirror for story, symbol, and choice.
5) Golden Dawn & Rider–Waite–Smith (1909)
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn synthesized Kabbalah, astrology, and ritual magic. A.E. Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith translated that blend into the Rider–Waite–Smith deck with fully illustrated minors — a game‑changer for intuitive reading and today’s most‑studied deck.
6) Crowley–Harris Thoth Deck
Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris created a luminous, symbol‑dense system with re‑named cards and rich color theory. The Thoth deck invites study: layered correspondences, esoteric titles, and a modernist aesthetic that keeps scholars and artists coming back.
7) Tarot in 20th‑Century Pop Culture
Tarot moved from occult shelves to movies, music, and fashion. It became an icon — mysterious yet approachable. New art styles flourished: Art Nouveau, surrealism, psychedelic, minimalist. The deck transformed into a global creative canvas.
8) 21st‑Century Voices & Inclusive Decks
Modern creators re‑imagine archetypes through many lenses — culture, gender, body, and lived experience. Guidebooks speak plainly, spreads focus on mental health and growth, and communities share techniques online. Tarot keeps evolving because readers do.
9) Digital Era: Apps, Data & AI
From mobile apps to AI‑assisted journaling, technology extends Tarot’s reflection. Saved readings reveal patterns over time, statistics surface ‘repeating cards,’ and symbolism becomes searchable. The tool is ancient‑inspired — the practice is wonderfully current.
Turn history into insight
Save your readings to spot repeating cards over weeks and months. Patterns make practice powerful.
Quick FAQ
Is Tarot originally Egyptian?
The Egyptian origin is a later myth. Historically, Tarot grew from European playing cards with Middle Eastern influence. The myth still shaped how people approach the deck today.
When did Tarot become a divination tool?
The shift happened gradually in the 18th–19th centuries as authors assigned esoteric meanings to the cards and spreads became popular.
What made Rider–Waite–Smith so influential?
Fully illustrated minor arcana scenes dramatically improved intuitive reading and teaching, setting a template thousands of modern decks follow.