Although, the standard playing cards migrated to Europe in the late 14th century with the Mamelukes of Egypt, it is a stretch to say they invented the Tarot deck, card games, or divinatory practices associated with it. In fact the modern Tarot deck as we know it today is a collection of images and symbols from a wide variety of cultures, from ancient Greece, Romania, Norway, India, Egypt, Italy, and France.
Some people speculate that Pythagoras, one of the first gurus of modern day esoteric philosophy and practices, may have invented the precursors to Tarot through his work with mathematics, music, tetractys, and Numerology.
According to the most accurate historical data available modern day Tarot cards originated in Northern Italy. The oldest surviving Tarot cards, called the Visconti-Sforza tarot deck, were created in the mid 15th century. This sixty-six card deck based on the "carte da trionfi" or triumph cards were designed and painted for the Visconti family the rulers of Milan and one of the most prestigious families in Italy.
These cards were designed to be played as a trick based card playing game with trumps called Tarrochi. This game spread slowly across Italy and mostly in the upper stratum of society. This was because pre-printing press hand manufactured cards were quite expensive and news traveled fairly slowly in those days.
It appears that in 1450 there was an Italian jubilee year with many festivities and pilgrims which brought the game into the public eye on a broad scale. In addition in the 1460's the introduction of Gutenberg's printing press to Italy made mass manufacturing books and cards possible. From this innocuous game of Tarrochi (called Tarrock in German/Austrian, or Tarot in France) it was not long before these cards aided by the wide spread use of the printing press became a medium for fortune telling and parlor tricks.
From Italy tarot cards migrated into Southern France and the "Tarot de Marseilles" is one of the most famous decks from that country originating around 1499 when France conquered northern Italy. The English Tarot deck is often called the Rider-Waite deck and is the one we are most familiar with in the modern day English speaking countries. It consists of 78 cards 56 minor arcana and 22 major arcana or what would have been the trump cards in the game of Tarrochi. It was created in 1909 by artist Pamela Colman Smith and Arthur Edward Waite. It was published by the Rider company and now is copyrighted by U.S. Games.
In addition it is no surprise that Tarot cards were under condemnation from their very conception by the religious authorities of the time. They were frowned upon by the Roman Catholic Church especially as a form of idolatry.
Interestingly enough science was much kinder to the Tarot deck than religion. For example, Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud subscribed to tarot beliefs. Carl Jung attached symbolic importance to The Tarot cards attributing the cards with inkblot type properties. These enabled the psychologist to form evaluative inferences about an individual's archetypal characteristics. The cards helped identify characteristics that represent the subconscious symbolic and pre-symbolic attributes that affect how they view themselves, others, and their environment.
However, most modern psychologists frown on the notion of using Tarot cards in therapeutic settings for archetypal analysis. These methods of archetypal analysis are relegated to the fringes of the clinical practices.
Unearthing the true origins of Tarot cards may never occur with empirical certainty. But, one thing is for certain these divinatory aids of the occult are certain to continue on through the ages as a mystical tool for ascertaining answers to questions on past, present, and future events.
How the various tarot decks evolved from their original form to that of the common deck of playing cards is one of the best stories in history, but let us take a look at some of the most well known cards that make up the old-fashioned tarot deck.
Remember, however, that many different tarot decks contain different cards from one another.
Especially in the case of the minor arcana, the suits can change from deck to deck. There is not any consensus right deck, they all have their own powers to help a trained reader divine the future.
1) The Fool
One of the best known cards in the tarot deck, the fool can symbolize many different things based on the question asked before the reading.
In most cases, the fool brings about such descriptions as immaturity, adventure, boldness, freedom and inexperience.
In history, the Fool has the special distinction of usually having the number zero. While that designation is not a uniform assignment across all decks, the Fool is usually seen as either the final trump card, the first trump card or even a completely separate card apart from the other trumps.
Modern interpretations of the fool vary from the context in which the card fits into the question asked and the reader, but in most cases, the fool is interpreted as standing for folly and inexperience.
It does not necessarily have to have a negative connotation, but it is interpreted that way in most cases.
2) Death
One of the most dreaded cards in the tarot deck, but also one of the most misunderstood.
The card is only interpreted by the most literal readers as meaning physical death. In almost all cases, the card stands for a change; usually a deep and through change in your life.
For some, the death card can be a positive if the change interpreted is the death of something negative. The number assigned to the card is 13, of course, an unlucky number in most Western cultures.
In modern decks of playing cards, the ace of spades is considered to be the descendant of the death card, and is still referred to as such by many card players.
3) The Devil
Card fifteen is also one of the most well known tarot cards. The devil, in most cases, stands for animal lust and vice. It can also be interpreted as a lack of morality and hedonism over other more moderate choices in life.
Most readers believe that the Devil card represents a lack of growth or the inability to stop behavior that harms oneself. The card, in most cases, is considered negative, but there is also a large amount of flexibility in the Devil card.
The subject receiving the reading may be caught in a particular behavior, but that behavior can change and the impact of the devil can be removed.
4) The Moon
Card eighteen of the tarot deck is the Moon. The card is usually associated with the ideas of tension, deception, confusion and anxiety.
The Moon is also thought to be associated with doubt, worry, unrealistic ideas and illusion. Most readers interpret the Moon as a lack of vision or purpose in the life of a person.
A need to find the right path back to goals and meaning is needed before all is lost. It can also mean that an adventure awaits and to be brave when facing unknown circumstances. In most cases, the Moon has a negative connotation, but not in all.
5) The Lovers
Card six in the tarot deck is The Lovers. The card is usually interpreted to mean union, passion and sexuality, as well as bonding, romance and heart.
The card is seen almost universally as a positive, a sign that the subject has a positive, warm and healthy relationship in their life.
There is a modicum of sacrifice with the Lovers card, the idea that the bachelor life will need to be jettisoned in favor of a caring and fulfilling relationship. The card is considered a positive building block when it comes up during a reading, a sign of good things to come.
6) Wheel of Fortune
Card ten is the Wheel of Fortune. It is thought to stand for opportunities, possibilities and destiny, as well as fate, activity and life cycles.
There is a strong karmic connection with the Wheel of Fortune card. The idea of what comes around, goes around is widely believed to exist within the Wheel of Fortune.
The card also represents random chance, with the Wheel most likely standing for all the choices one makes and their positive and negative outcomes.
7) Judgment
Card twenty in the tarot deck is Judgment. This is an almost universally positive card that most readers interpret to stand for hope, renewal, redemption and absolution.
Even though with Judgment, there is a positive and negative side, this card is almost always thought to be a positive.
The tarot deck is filled with dozens of interesting stories and interpretations. The cards listed here can mean many different things based on the question asked, the interpretation and if the card is reversed or not.
The energy and magic of tarot is eternal and it awaits your questions today.
Both Frederick Gimino & Tenzin Palmo are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Frederick Gimino has sinced written about articles on various topics from Psychic Readings, Finances and Psychic Readings. Frederick Gimino is the founder of Free Psychic Network Providing a free oracle, online psychic oracles, and online. Frederick Gimino's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.
Tenzin Palmo has sinced written about articles on various topics from Feng Shui, Tarot Card and Lucid Dream. Learn the world's MOST ancient oracles for BETTER decisions, BETTER Relations! for your and your loved ones. Free. Tenzin Palmo's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.