Tarot History · 6 min · 2026-07-15
Explore the origins of the word tarot, from rare 15th-century decks in Italy to callbacks across generations. Understand better the journey of the 78 cards from the past to your hands today.
Of the surviving tarot decks from the 15th century, the Visconti-Sforza decks are considered the earliest verifiable tarot system. In 1975, the copying of the Piermont Morgan-Bergamo set — one of the most complete tarot sets today, with cards kept at the Piermont Morgan Library in New York, the Carrara Academy in Bergamo (Italy) and Colleoni family collectors — became an important event in the world of tarot collecting and art historical research.
Italy is known as the birthplace of the earliest tarot decks with Major Arcana cards filled with mystical symbolism and allegorical images. The 22 Major Arcana cards with their profound symbolism continually attract art historians, artists and those who study arcane traditions. In practice, begin with the position's job, then let the card image sharpen the answer.
Card designers and artists often preserve the core symbology of the Major Arcana, but at the same time add subtle adjustments to reflect the spirit of their times, historical events, and important issues.
From 15th century masters like Bonifacio Bembo to modern artists like Salvador Dalí or Larry Rivers, and talented creators like:
...their works have now become prominent representatives of hundreds of improved versions of the tarot, preserved in museums, libraries and private collections around the world. A useful check is to name the visible action on the card before choosing advice.
From the early days of tarot in Italy, the development of tarot symbolism is a fascinating story of cultural evolution.
Since the 15th century, the word "Trionfi" (meaning "victories" or "crowns") has been used in Italy to refer to the 22 Major Arcana cards. By the early 16th century, the term "tarocchi" began to be widely used in Italy:
Although "tarocchi" and "tarocco" are often used interchangeably, the first term is the plural form of the second term. The French word "Tarot" (a variant of the Italian word "tarocchi") has now become a commonly used international term.
In English, the "t" at the end of the word "tarot" is not pronounced.
Scholar MacGregor Mathers has proposed that the word "taro" may be linked to many other words:
The term "trumps" (cards) comes from the Latin word "triumphis". Each card (also known as the Major Arcana or Major Arcana) contains symbolic or allegorical images.
"Arcana" is a Latin word meaning "Secret", and the Italian "arcana" has the same origin and meaning. In French, cards are called "atouts", and in Italian "a tutti" — referring to cards that have a higher value than other cards.
Some scholars believe "tarot" comes from "tarotée" — a term for the patterns of alternating solid and dotted lines on the backs of the earliest cards. However, "tarotée" may originate from "tarocchi" which appeared earlier.
In 1594, in the charter of the guild of card makers in Paris, the craftsmen called themselves "tarotiers" — another variation of the word "tarot".
At the end of the 18th century, the scholar Antoine Court de Gébelin in his seminal work "The Early World" proposed that the word "tarot" originated from Egyptian:
In 1929, Nancy Fullwood interpreted tarot as the "Holy Path" and systematized evidence for the existence of seven Sacred Paths — these paths are both dimensions of existence and fundamental forces that govern life:
Together these seven tarot systems form a grand path through which the gods guide spiritual seekers.
These symbolic and allegorical cards continue to capture the public's imagination. Tarot, with its unique appeal, has captivated explorers from many different social classes, economic backgrounds, and fields of expertise.
Understanding the history and terminology behind these cards helps us approach them more deeply — not as an absolute forecasting tool, but as a toolkit for self-reflection and self-discovery.
Reference source: zhihu.com — Tarot From Scratch: Analyzing Tarot Terms
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Reading note: Check these meanings against the cards beside them before settling on one keyword. Revisit the spread later and compare what changed in real life with what the image suggested.
Source: Zhihu
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