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The tarot, also known as 'trionfi' and later 'tarocchi; or 'tarocks', is a deck of playing cards that has been used in different regions of Europe since at least the mid-15th century to play card games like Tarocchini. From their Italian origins, tarot playing cards spread throughout most of Europe, developing into a family of games that includes contemporary games like French Tarot and Austrian Königrufen as well as German Grosstarok. Intricate rituals were created by French occultists in the late 18th century.
Another legend holds that Tarot decks were created in Italy in the 1430s by adding a fifth suit of 21 artistically designed cards called trionfi ("triumphs") and an odd cardknown as il matto ("the fool") to the already existing four-suited pack.
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However, The oldest tarot allusions all originate from the 1440s and 1450s and are located inside the quadrilateral established by the northern cities of Venice, Milan, Florence, and Urbino. Because of the game's complexity at the time, it is likely that it had began to evolve earlier in the century. Tarot cards used the normal Italian suits, with values ranging from 10 to 1 and four face cards (king, queen, knight, and knave), for a total of 56 cards. They were joined by a fool (matto), which served as a wild card, and the 21 trump cards.
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Here are some interesting facts about them:
🌞 The origins of tarot cards are unclear, but they are believed to have originated in northern Italy in the 15th century.
🌛 The original purpose of tarot cards was as playing cards, not for divination.
⛅ The tarot deck consists of 78 cards, with 22 cards in the Major Arcana and 56 cards in the Minor Arcana.
☽ Each card in the Major Arcana has a specific meaning and represents a different archetype or universal theme.
☀ The Minor Arcana cards are divided into four suits: Swords, Cups, Wands, and Pentacles, and each suit has 14 cards.
🌘 Tarot cards have been used for divination and fortune-telling since the late 18th century.
🌄 Different cultures have their own versions of tarot cards. For example, the Lenormand* deck originated in Germany and is used for divination in France.
🌓 The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck** is one of the most popular and widely used tarot decks in the English-speaking world. It was created in 1909 by Arthur Edward Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith.
🌅 Tarot cards have been featured in popular culture, such as in movies and TV shows like "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "The Magicians."
🌜 Tarot reading is still a popular practice today and is used by people all over the world for spiritual guidance, self-reflection, and personal growth.
