The Origin of Tarot
Many people have explored the origins of Tarot, but I would like to share my insights to help you understand its history, if you're interested. Over the past hundred years, Tarot has been used both as a game and for fortune-telling. However, it is only in the last couple of decades that Tarot has gained recognition as a tool for amplifying one’s inner intuition. throughout the past hundred years or so, both as a game and for fortune-telling. It's only been the past couple of decades that Tarot has become recognized as a tool to magnify one's inner voice of intuition.
Initially, Tarot was simply a regular deck of playing cards. It was not intended to intuit personal insight, divination, or fortune-telling. The earliest decks of the Tarot varied in their number of cards. They were created, for the most part, for entertainment purposes and occasionally for educational purposes.
But where do the cards come from? The origin of the Tarot has yet to be discovered. Some say the Tarot may have originated in China, India, Persia, Saudi Arabia, Europe, or Egypt. However, this has never been proven. Some of these connections have been encouraged to deepen the mysteriousness and sales of the cards themselves.
Regular playing cards were known to exist in China and the Middle East as early as the 10th century. However, these cards were very different from cards found later in Europe and not considered Tarot cards. Furthermore, "Tarot" is likely derived from the Italian word for cards, "Tarocchi." This word is recorded as being used in Italy during the 15th century, where many people believe the actual game of Tarot originated as it is used today. They were known as "Taraux" in France around the same time.
In the beginning, a deck of Tarot contained only twenty-two cards with images. These images varied depending on the area in which they were created and the method by which they were painted by hand. For example, older cards designed in the locality where Germany now exists were illustrated with scenes of kings, queens, and animals found in nature. Images created on the cards were left to the artist's discretion, based on what he favored or considered popular at the time. For example, in 1424, the Greek Emperor visited Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan (Italy), to ask for help against the Ottomans. During his visit, he offered to commission a deck of cards. Sixteen Greek gods were chosen as images. The duke's wife soon gave birth to a daughter, Bianca Maria Visconti, who, years later, was involved in the production of "Carte da Trionfi", which was much later referred to as "Tarot" decks.
Other decks in other parts of the world contained religious scenes or scenes of Greek mythology. Some even included images of daily tasks, such as carving meat. Later, images of the Empress and the Emperor, the High Priestess (a female figure of authority), and the Hierophant (a male figure of authority) emerged. Still, these cards were primarily used for card games rather than metaphysical purposes.
As time went by, images changed, and card-playing generally fell under attack by the church. Gambling was outlawed. Any images that seemed religious in any way were removed. These particular card images were replaced with other images because the church deemed them blasphemous. In 1432, the church denounced card-playing as "the work of the devil". And again, in the 1570s, the church outlawed card playing (gambling) and theatre because both were seen as worshipping false gods. However, Tarot was not banned, as it had become a recreational mainstay in upper-class society by this time.
Eventually, another fifty-six cards were added to the deck as "Suits". It was only when the suits were added that the original twenty-two cards became known as the Major Arcana, considered archetypical cards. Each of the twenty-two cards represents an archetype that conveys an important lesson one is learning or needs to learn to become whole.
Each of the four suits, known as the Minor Arcana, contains fourteen cards labeled Ace, King, Queen, Knight, Page, and nine additional cards numbered from 2 to 10. The Suits comprise Wands, Swords, Cups, and Coins (some say Pentacles). The suits represent facets of everyday life, such as human passions and desires (Wands), thoughts and conflicts (Swords), emotions and feelings (Cups), and material and financial concerns (Coins). Initially, the minor cards numbered 1-10 contained no images other than a certain number of Wands, Swords, Cups, or Coins.
The suits can be played like modern-day cards, except that, unlike modern playing cards, they contain a Knight, which must be removed. The Tarot page becomes Jack, and the Tarot Fool can pose as the Joker. In a regular card game, the Wands represent Clubs, Swords represent Spades, Cups represent Diamonds, and Coins represent Diamonds. Looking at it this way, one can easily read one's fortune with a deck of regular playing cards as long as one knows the Tarot cards' meanings.
It was in the late 1700s that Tarot gained popularity as a divination tool, primarily due to Antoine Court de Gebelin's book, in which he claimed that the images on the cards contained secret messages related to civilization. And who doesn't love a good mystery? He also suggested that the secrets were handed down from Egyptian priests in images to keep them safe from those who sought religious dominance. This enthusiasm for the Egyptian connection was swept up by many others, including the authors of The Golden Dawn, of whom Arthur Waite was a member. The idea that Tarot was somehow associated with forbidden knowledge was used for marketing tarot books, decks, and readings. This type of marketing only encouraged the acceptance of Egyptian origin and the idea that Tarot migrated to the rest of the world by "gypsies". Again, this has never been proven. So that you know, Arthur Waite reversed the placements of the Strength and Justice cards of the Major Arcana.
There are hundreds of Tarot decks to choose from in today's world.. All modern-day Tarot decks are said to have descended from decks like the ancient French Tarot of Marseilles, which was created in 1760 by Nicholas Conver.
In 1910, the Rider-Waite tarot deck was published, which is the most popular deck in the English-speaking world and was illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith (who received no credit and died penniless). This deck is often recommended for beginners. Its illustrations are universally easier to understand than other decks and are widely used in study materials, books, and television shows.
Also, see The Chronological History of Tarot.
