History and symbols
How Did Tarot Become Esoteric in the 18th and 19th Centuries?
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Tarot gained esoteric fame from the 18th century, when French authors began to see it as a symbolic book of ancient origin. In the 19th century, occultists linked the cards to Hebrew letters, astrology and Kabbalah. These associations are esoteric traditions, not proven historical facts.
The first steps in France
In 1781, the scholar Antoine Court de Gébelin claimed that tarot was a remnant of the wisdom of ancient Egypt. The thesis has no historical basis, but it was hugely influential. Soon after, an author known as Etteilla, the pen name of Jean-Baptiste Alliette, created a deck aimed at divination.
These authors reinterpreted the cards in a new way, and that is where the image of tarot as a secret book came from.
The 19th century and symbolic associations
In 19th-century France, Éliphas Lévi proposed linking the Major Arcana to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and to ideas from Kabbalah. Later, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, founded in England in 1888, developed its own systems of correspondences with astrology and the elements.
These orders had interpretations that differed from one another, and none of them is a universal rule. What exists is a tradition, which each reader can adopt, adapt or set aside.
- 1781: Court de Gébelin links tarot to ancient Egypt (a thesis with no proof).
- 1780s: Etteilla publishes a deck aimed at divination.
- 19th century: Éliphas Lévi associates the arcana with Hebrew letters and Kabbalah.
- 1888: founding of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
How to read this history today
The esoteric tradition gave tarot much of the vocabulary we still use, such as the elements and astrological correspondences. At the same time, it is useful to separate documented history from origin myth.
To study rigorously, look for works by historians of esotericism and museum catalogs, and always read old sources with a critical eye.
Frequently asked questions
- Is tarot proven to be connected to Kabbalah?
- The connection was proposed by 19th-century occultists and is part of the esoteric tradition. There is no historical evidence that the creators of the Italian decks had that intention.
- Who was Etteilla?
- Etteilla was the pen name of Jean-Baptiste Alliette, an 18th-century Frenchman who devoted himself to cartomancy and published writings and a tarot deck for divination.
- What was the Golden Dawn?
- It was an esoteric order founded in England in 1888 that studied magic, astrology and symbolism. Its systems influenced many 20th-century decks, including the Rider-Waite-Smith.
Educational content, for reflection. Tarot does not replace medical, legal or financial advice.