Over the years, a lot of people have asked me about the history of tarot. I’ve always been happy to share my knowledge on the subject, but I never realized that there was so much information out there! In this blog post, I’ll cover some basic facts about how tarot came to be and what most people believe its origins are.
The origins of the Tarot are shrouded in mystery, but it is believed that it was created in Northern Italy by the aristocratic members of the late 15th century era. The deck consisted of 22 trumps (known as “Major Arcana”) and 56 pip cards (known as “Minor Arcana”). It was used for gambling, divination and fortune telling purposes.
The first written reference to what we now know as tarot cards appeared in 1450 CE when Girolamo della Rovere wrote about them in his book Compendium Maleficarum (Compendium on Witchcraft). He claimed that these cards were used by witches for casting spells on people!
As time went on, they became part of popular culture and many people began to use them as a divinatory tool.
As time went on, they became part of popular culture and many people began to use them as a divinatory tool. The Tarot was used for gambling, fortune telling and entertainment purposes. It also had its share of detractors who saw it as nothing more than a game or even witchcraft.
The Tarot eventually fell out of use, only to be revived by occultists in the 19th century. These occultists began to see the Tarot as a tool for divination and spiritual growth rather than just for entertainment purposes. They believed that the cards could help them gain insight into their own lives and give them guidance on how to live more fulfilling lives.
In 1810, Antoine Court de Gebelin published a book claiming that the cards were linked with Egyptian hieroglyphics and magic. This gained popularity and influenced other writers who wrote their own books on the subject. However, it’s important to note that not all historians agree with de Gebelin’s findings or conclusions.
Modern use of tarot cards can be traced back to 1785 when Antoine Court de Gebelin published his book about the origins of tarot cards and how they were used by ancient inhabitants of Egypt (even though this theory has been widely disproved).
In his book, Le Monde Primitif (The Primitive World), claimed that tarot cards were linked to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and magic. His theories would go on to inspire many other authors who wrote books about their own ideas regarding what tarots mean and how they should be used.
It wasn’t until 1887 that we see the first major work on divination by Arthur Edward Waite who was an English writer and occultist best known for his publications on Freemasonry and his co-creation of Rider-Waite tarot deck which remains one of the most popular decks today.
The Rider-Waite tarot deck was created by Pamela Colman Smith and published in 1910. It’s the most popular tarot deck in the world, with over 20 million copies sold.
The Tarot de Marseille is one of the oldest known decks still being printed today; it was first published around 1750, but was likely created sometime before that date based on earlier designs from Italy or other European countries. The Rider-Waite has been widely influential because it contains minimal symbolism and uses simple line drawings instead of detailed artwork like many other decks do; this makes it easier for people who aren’t familiar with divination practices (like reading cards) to learn how to use them effectively!
The Tarot de Marseille is a much more detailed deck than the Rider-Waite, with intricate paintings and symbols. It was one of the most popular decks produced in France during the 18th century; however, its popularity declined during the 19th century as people started to favor simpler designs like those seen in other parts of Europe.
There is no one right way to read tarot cards but there are some basic guidelines you can follow if you want to understand their history better
The first thing to know about the history of the tarot is that it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. The cards can represent anything from your zodiac sign to your Myers-Briggs personality type, so there are many different ways to interpret them.
If you’re looking for some guidance on how to use tarot cards in your daily life, consider these basic guidelines:
Decide what kind of reading you want before pulling out any cards. Are you hoping for guidance on an upcoming decision? Or do you simply want some insight into where your life is headed? The more specific and clear your intention is when approaching a tarot reading, the better results will be–and this goes double if there are multiple people involved with each session (such as partners or friends).
In conclusion, the tarot is a fascinating tool that has been around for centuries. The earliest known deck was created in Italy in the late 15th century and used mainly as a means of gambling or telling fortunes at the time. However, these cards soon became popular among people who wanted to use them as divinatory tools and continue to be used today by those who believe they can offer insight into their future or past lives through readings conducted by trained professionals.