History of Tarot
Tarot began as Italian playing cards in the 1400s and evolved over 600 years into the spiritual reflection tool used worldwide today.
15th Century Italy
Tarot began not with fortune-telling, but with card games. In the early 1400s, wealthy Italian families commissioned "carte da trionfi" (cards of triumphs).
These were status symbols - hand-painted decks for entertainment. The Visconti-Sforza deck (c. 1440-1450) is one of the oldest surviving examples.
Spread Across Europe
Tarot spread from Italy to France, becoming "Tarot de Marseille." French card makers standardized the imagery.
For over 300 years, tarot remained primarily a game - similar to modern bridge.
The Occult Connection
In 1781, Antoine Court de Gébelin claimed tarot contained secret Egyptian wisdom. While historically incorrect, this sparked a new way of thinking.
Jean-Baptiste Alliette ("Etteilla") became one of the first professional tarot card readers in the 1780s.
The Modern Era
In 1909, Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith created the Rider-Waite-Smith deck - the world's most influential tarot deck.
Today, thousands of decks exist, and tarot is practiced worldwide for meditation, creativity, and self-understanding.
Timeline
Tarot readings are for entertainment and personal reflection. They offer perspective, not predictions, and should not replace professional advice for medical, legal, or financial matters.