History and symbols
Where tarot comes from, how the classic decks came about and what the symbols that recur across the cards mean.
32 guides in this category
Where Did Tarot Come From? The History of Tarocchi in Italy
Find out how tarot was born in 15th-century Italy as a card game called tarocchi, and how it later came to be used symbolically.
What Is the Visconti-Sforza Tarot?
Meet the Visconti-Sforza, one of the oldest surviving tarocchi decks, hand-painted in 15th-century Milan, and learn why it still matters for tarot today.
What Is the Tarot de Marseille and What Is Its History?
Learn what the Tarot de Marseille is, where this card pattern comes from and why it matters so much to the iconography of tarot.
How Did the 1909 Rider-Waite-Smith Deck Come About?
See how the Rider-Waite-Smith was published in 1909, who created it and why its illustrated cards changed the way people read tarot.
Who Was Pamela Colman Smith, the Artist Behind the Rider-Waite Tarot?
Meet Pamela Colman Smith, the artist who illustrated all 78 cards of the 1909 deck, and why her name is now part of the deck's title.
How Did Tarot Become Esoteric in the 18th and 19th Centuries?
Understand how French and English authors turned tarot into an object of esoteric study between the 18th and 19th centuries, without the myths.
What Do the Lemniscate, the Wheel and the Serpent Mean in Tarot?
See what the lemniscate, the wheel and the serpent usually represent in tarot and which cards they appear in, with attention to historical context.
What Do the Sun and the Moon Represent in Tarot?
Understand what the Sun and the Moon usually represent in tarot, how they appear in The Sun and The Moon cards and why they complement each other.
What Do the Cup, the Sword, the Wand and the Coin Symbolize in Tarot?
See where the four tarot suits come from and what the cup, the sword, the wand and the coin or pentacle usually represent on the cards.
How Do You Read the Symbols on a Tarot Card?
Learn a simple method for reading the symbols, colors, gestures and settings of a tarot card without memorizing lists of meanings.
What are the Visconti-Sforza cards like, and what changed on the way to today's tarot?
See what the Visconti-Sforza trionfi cards looked like, what is missing from the surviving set, and how they differ from the tarot we know today.
Why does card numbering change between Marseille and Rider-Waite-Smith?
Learn why Strength and Justice swap numbers between the Marseille and Rider-Waite-Smith decks, and which card names are still debated today.
What does the Golden Dawn have to do with tarot?
Learn what the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was, how it organized tarot symbolism, and which of its ideas are esoteric tradition only.
How did the Rider-Waite-Smith change the Minor Arcana?
See how the Rider-Waite-Smith replaced numbered cards showing only symbols with illustrated scenes, and what that changed in tarot reading.
What do the colors mean in tarot cards?
Learn what yellow, red, white, blue and black usually suggest in tarot cards, and why colors vary from one deck to another.
What is the symbolism of the Hanged Man in tarot?
See where the Hanged Man's image comes from, how it changed from deck to deck, and why it is read today as a pause and a change of viewpoint.
Where does the image of the Tower come from, and why does it speak of rupture?
Learn the early names of The Tower card, the elements of its image, and how it is read today as a rupture that brings down fragile structures.
What do the wreath and the four creatures in The World symbolize?
Learn what the leaf wreath, the central figure and the four creatures in the corners of The World, the last Major Arcana card, represent.
How did tarot reach pop culture and literature?
See how tarot moved out of esoteric circles into literature, film, artists' decks and social media over the course of the twentieth century.
How do you research tarot history using reliable sources?
Learn to research tarot history using museum collections, academic studies and primary sources, and to spot legends that have no proof behind them.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Aries?
Learn why The Emperor is the card for Aries, what its symbols reveal, and how to use it to reflect on leadership and personal boundaries.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Taurus?
Understand why The Hierophant corresponds to Taurus, how a Taurus can use the card to think about values, and what it asks of you when reversed.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Gemini?
See why The Lovers represent Gemini, how to work with a choice between two paths using the card, and what it suggests when it appears reversed.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Cancer?
See why The Chariot corresponds to Cancer, how to use the card to give direction to your goals, and what it warns about when it appears reversed.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Leo?
Understand why Strength corresponds to Leo, how to practice courage with gentleness, and what the card signals about burnout and impulsiveness when reversed.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Virgo?
Learn why The Hermit represents Virgo, how to use the card to listen to yourself more calmly, and what it warns about isolation and refusing help.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Libra?
Find out why Justice is the tarot card for Libra, what it asks of those born under this sign, and how to use it for reflection rather than prediction.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Scorpio?
Learn why Death is the tarot card for Scorpio, what it asks of those born under this sign, and how to use it to reflect on cycles of endings and renewal.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Sagittarius?
See why Temperance is the tarot card for Sagittarius, what it asks of those born under this sign, and how to use it to look for balance and a steady pace.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Capricorn?
Find out why The Devil is the tarot card for Capricorn, what it shows about attachment and freedom, and how to reflect with it without fear.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Aquarius?
Learn why The Star is the tarot card for Aquarius, what it asks of those born under this sign, and how to use it to rekindle hope after a hard season.
What Is the Tarot Card for the Sign of Pisces?
See why The Moon is the tarot card for Pisces, what it asks of those born under this sign, and how to tell intuition from fear when you read the cards.