The History of Tarot Cards: From Playing Cards to Spiritual Tools

Six Centuries of Mystery and Meaning

The history of tarot cards is a fascinating journey through art, culture, spirituality, and human curiosity about the unknown. Far from the ancient Egyptian origins that some popular narratives suggest, tarot’s real history is rich enough without embellishment.

The Origins: 15th Century Italy

The earliest known tarot cards appeared in northern Italy in the early 1400s. Known as “carte da trionfi” (cards of triumphs) and later “tarocchi,” they were originally created as a card game for Italian nobility. The earliest surviving decks, including the beautiful Visconti-Sforza deck, were hand-painted luxury items commissioned by wealthy families.

The original tarot deck structure — 78 cards comprising 22 trumps (what we now call the Major Arcana) and 56 suited cards (the Minor Arcana) — was established during this period and has remained remarkably consistent ever since.

The Tarot Game Spreads Through Europe

Through the 15th and 16th centuries, tarot remained primarily a card game. It spread from Italy to France, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. The game of Tarot (still played today in parts of Europe) uses the trump cards as a permanent suit that beats the four standard suits — similar to how some card games use jokers or wild cards.

The four suits in early Italian decks — Cups, Coins, Swords, and Batons — eventually evolved into the Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands of modern tarot.

The Occult Connection: 18th Century France

The association between tarot and divination began in earnest in 1781, when a French clergyman named Antoine Court de Gébelin published a study claiming (incorrectly but influentially) that tarot cards originated in ancient Egypt and contained secret wisdom from the Book of Thoth. Despite having no historical basis, this theory captured the public imagination and changed the trajectory of tarot forever.

French occultists enthusiastically adopted tarot as a tool for divination and spiritual exploration. Jean-Baptiste Alliette, writing under the pseudonym “Etteilla,” created the first deck specifically designed for divination in 1789.

The Golden Dawn and the Birth of Modern Tarot

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a secret society active in late 19th and early 20th century Britain, profoundly shaped modern tarot. Members including Arthur Edward Waite and Aleister Crowley developed elaborate systems connecting tarot to astrology, Kabbalah, and ceremonial magic.

In 1909, Waite commissioned artist Pamela Colman Smith to create what would become the most influential tarot deck in history: the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Smith’s revolutionary contribution was illustrating all 78 cards with detailed scenes, including the Minor Arcana, which had previously featured only simple pip designs. This made the cards dramatically more accessible for intuitive reading.

Crowley, meanwhile, worked with Lady Frieda Harris to create the Thoth Tarot, published posthumously in 1969. Both decks remain hugely popular today and can be found in our tarot deck collection.

The Modern Tarot Renaissance

The late 20th and early 21st centuries brought an explosion of tarot creativity. Artists and spiritual practitioners created thousands of new decks exploring every conceivable theme, cultural tradition, and artistic style. The rise of the internet created global tarot communities, online learning resources, and social media channels that brought tarot to millions of new practitioners.

Today, tarot is experiencing its greatest popularity ever. Modern practitioners use the cards for self-reflection, personal growth, creative inspiration, meditation, and spiritual development as much as for traditional divination.

Tarot Today

Contemporary tarot culture embraces both tradition and innovation. Classic RWS-based decks sit alongside wildly creative modern interpretations. Academic study of tarot history coexists with intuitive, personal approaches. And an ever-growing library of books, courses, and communities makes tarot more accessible than it’s ever been.

Explore the evolution of tarot art through our deck collection, from classic designs to cutting-edge modern interpretations. For deeper historical study, check our Books & Guides.