Where Did Tarot Cards Come From?

Tarot cards are a powerful divination tool that offers valuable advice to better face the future. They were invented in Italy in the 1430s by adding to the existing four-suited pack. The origins of tarot cards can be traced back to Europe during the mid-15th century, with the earliest known tarot-like cards being created in Italy and used to play a game called tarocchi, similar to bridge.

The origin of playing cards has been debated, but they are likely born in Asia, possibly as early as the 14th century. The earliest evidence of a tarot deck used for cartomancy comes from an anonymous manuscript from around 1750. Tarot decks were invented in Italy in the 1430s by adding a fifth suit of 21 specially illustrated cards called trionfi.

The playing game of tarot originated from around 1441, Italy, and the cards were used in divination around 1781. In the late 1300s, some of the earliest known tarot-like cards were painted by Jacquemin Gringonneur to entertain Charles VI of France. Tarot decks are believed to have originated in Italy and spread throughout much of Europe, with the first deck designed specifically for divinatory purposes released in 1791 by French occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette.

Who first read tarot cards?

Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy where practitioners use tarot cards to gain insight into the past, present, or future. The first to assign divinatory meanings to tarot cards was cartomancer Jean-Baptiste Alliette (also known as Etteilla) in 1783. A traditional tarot deck consists of 78 cards, divided into the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. French-suited playing cards can also be used. The first written references to tarot packs occurred between 1440 and 1450 in northern Italy, where additional cards with allegorical illustrations were added to the common four-suit pack.

These new packs were called carte da trionfi, triumph packs, and the additional cards known simply as trionfi, which became “trumps” in English. One of the earliest references to tarot triumphs is given c. 1450–1470 by a Dominican preacher in a sermon against dice, playing cards, and ‘triumphs’. References to the tarot as a social plague or exempt from bans that affected other games continue throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, but there are no indications that the cards were used for anything but games.

What is the true origin of tarot cards?

Tarot decks were invented in Italy in the 1430s, adding a fifth suit of 21 specially illustrated cards called trionfi (“triumphs”) and an odd card called il matto (“the fool”). These cards bore Italian suitmarks and belonged to an experimental period of card design when queens were often added to the series of court cards previously consisting of only a king and two male figures. In standard cards, the four figures were subsequently reduced to three again by suppressing the queen, except in French cards, which suppressed the cavalier (knight).

The trionfi each bore a different allegorical illustration instead of a common suitmark, possibly representing characters in medieval reenactments of Roman triumphal processions. They were originally unnumbered, so it was necessary to remember their order. When added to the pack, trionfi functioned as a suit superior in power to the other four, acting as a suit of triumphs or “trumps”.

What is the oldest tarot cards?

The Visconti Tarot is one of the oldest sets of playing cards, commissioned in the 15th century by the Viscontis family, a Milanese family that dominated northern Italy’s cultural life in the 14th and 15th centuries. The deck includes eleven trump cards, six court cards, and the three Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity. The first major deposit of playing cards in the Yale Library was in 1945 when Mrs. Samuel H. Fisher gave her extensive collection, documenting five centuries of playing card development.

Melbert B. Cary, Jr., an importer and fine printing enthusiast, developed a passion for collecting playing cards in partnership with his wife, Mary Flagler Cary. They collected together until Cary’s death in 1941, and Mrs. Cary continued adding examples from around the world. Following Cary’s death in 1967, the collection was presented to Yale, along with funds for its maintenance. The Visconti Tarot is one example from many in the Cary Colelction of Playing Cards.

Are tarot cards mysticism?

Tarot cards, originally used by Italian nobles and aristocrats as playing cards, evolved into a cornerstone of mysticism and spiritual exploration. They were initially used for skill, strategy, and luck in a game called “tarocchi”. However, they also had hidden potential for unraveling life’s mysteries, divining the future, and exploring the human psyche. Italy played a significant role in this transformation, with the Visconti-Sforza deck, created in the mid-15th century for the Duke of Milan, being one of the earliest surviving tarot decks. The deck’s intricate imagery and symbolism hint at a deeper, more mystical purpose, yet to be fully revealed.

What came first, playing cards or tarot?

In 1938, George Coffin wrote an article in Games Digest titled “Taro: Ancestor of Whist”, explaining the struggle he faced while researching divination cards, which were originally used for games. He found someone from Italy to talk to and learned not only about il tarocchi cards still used for games but how to play a game with them that was not too different from Whist.

Playing cards have four suits: Spades, Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, each made up of numbers 1 (ace) to 10, then the “Court” cards of the Jack, Queen, and King. Tarot cards in the Minor Arcana also have their four suits with ace to ten as well, then the Page, the Cavalier, the Queen, and the King. S. R. Kaplan in Tarot Cards for Fun and Fortune Telling states that the ordinary pack of playing cards is a direct descendent from the fourteenth century tarot deck.

The exact origin of tarot cards is often debated, but there is plenty of written evidence dating the use of tarot cards from well before the 15th century. Historians generally refer to the 1440s and the Italian cities of Venice, Milan, Florence, and Urbino when providing a starting point. The Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards, believed to be the earliest surviving tarot cards, date back around 1442 and are believed to be the strongest historical analytical evidence.

The original game, now usually referred to as ill tarocchi, involved bidding, melding of points, and taking of tricks. Although tarot games have varied through the centuries and are still played in some parts of Europe, the rules always vary depending on who is playing.

What is the science behind tarot cards?

Tarot cards have been found to have psychological influences, but they can still have beneficial effects on a person’s mental health when used in a therapeutic context. A 2009 study found that regular users of Tarot cards used them as a tool for self-reflection, providing insight into their current life situations and providing comfort during difficult times. They also used Tarot cards as a tool for positive reinforcement, drawing cards intentionally and randomly to provide insights about their own lives.

Some co-researchers kept a card with them until their goals were resolved, claiming that Tarot does not reveal new information but can provide a new perspective on an issue that can influence a plan for a possible course of action.

This study highlights the potential of Tarot as an effective therapeutic tool, despite the foundational psychological effects behind its mainstream use. Further research on the beneficial impacts of Tarot in a therapeutic setting would involve examining a larger number of participants from a wider variety of backgrounds. Regardless of the reason behind a person’s use of Tarot cards, they have maintained a strong presence in society and have the potential to do more than just predict the future.

Is tarot ok for Christians?

The notion that tarot cards can exert control over one’s life is a pervasive one, yet there is a paucity of empirical evidence to substantiate this claim.

What culture are tarot cards from?

In English-speaking countries, cartomantic tarot cards are available for novelty and divination. Early French occultists claimed tarot cards had esoteric links to ancient Egypt, Kabbalah, the Indic Tantra, or I Ching. However, scholarly research shows that tarot cards were invented in northern Italy in the mid-15th century and no significant use of tarot cards for divination until the late 18th century. Historians describe western views of the Tarot pack as a “successful propaganda campaign”.

The earliest evidence of a tarot deck used for cartomancy comes from an anonymous manuscript from around 1750. The popularization of esoteric tarot started with Antoine Court and Jean-Baptiste Alliette (Etteilla) in Paris during the 1780s, using the Tarot of Marseilles. French tarot players abandoned the Marseilles tarot in favor of the Tarot Nouveau around 1900, and the Marseilles pattern is now mostly used by cartomancers. Etteilla was the first to produce a bespoke tarot deck specifically designed for occult purposes around 1789, containing themes related to ancient Egypt.

Did tarot cards start as a game?

Tarot decks were invented for gaming, not occult purposes. Court de Gébelin’s 1781 essay linked tarot cards to ancient wisdom, but this idea was later debunked by Dummett. Tarot cards have since been used for cartomancy, divination, and gaming, although fortune-tellers now use specially-developed decks. Tarot games are increasingly popular in Europe, particularly in France, where French tarot is the second most popular card game after Belote. Tarock games, particularly Königrufen, have become widespread in Austria, with several major national and international tournaments each year.

Tarot games are also played in Hungary, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, south Germany, and south Poland. However, Tarot games are not common in the British Isles or the Iberian Peninsula. The cards in these games are referred to as Tarocks, tarocs, taroks, tarocchi, or tarots, with French Tarot cards simply called atouts.

What religion do tarot cards come from?

This literature review examines the relationship between Tarot cards and New Age religion, emphasizing their function in the contemporary study of the New Age movement.

How did tarot become spiritual?

Tarot cards, originally used for playing games and status symbols, gained popularity in the late 18th century with the publication of Etteilla’s definitive guide to tarot card reading. This laid the foundation for using tarot as a tool for spiritual and personal growth. In recent years, tarot has experienced a resurgence due to accessibility of decks and the rise of online communities. Tarot reading is an art form that requires a combination of interpretation and intuition.

Each card in a spread interacts with others, creating a narrative reflecting the querent’s life and circumstances. Skilled readers use their knowledge of the cards’ symbolism, intuition, and connection with the querent to provide meaningful insights and guidance.