Modern tarot is a symbol of the occult. It is associated with future-prediction, new age ideology, in so many words, a kind of magic. The history of tarot, however, strays from our modern definitions.
Despite its ancient practice, tarots beginnings lack the certain glamour that their modern presence conveys. Though its origins are not clear, tarot can be traced by to somewhere in the early fifteenth century in Northern Italy (Tarcher, 6). By many accounts, there is “Evidence [that] indicates that the first deck that we would call a tarot was created . . . when a fifth suit, containing allegorical figures, was added to an already existing deck of cards”(15).
By 1507, we know that tarot had reached popularity in other regions including Marseilles and surrounding areas (7). In its earliest days, there is some indication of its use for divination but primarily, it was a simple card game (15). In fact, tarot is a likely ancestor of bridge (15).
Despite its humble beginnings, divination remains part of tarots earliest history. Examples of the use of tarot for divination can be traced back to at least, the early sixteenth century (25). When searching for these uses, we are able to differentiate between parlour game and divination based on whether or not the deck includes all 5 suits, including the major arcana (25). The best evidence for this use occurs in a Venician work titled Merlini Cocai Sonnets, published in 1527 (25). This publication includes 5 sonnets “in which trump cards are dealt and laid out then used to determine the fates of the story’s main characters”(25).
By the 18th and 19th centuries, occultists adopted and popularized tarot for use of divination (25). Our most modern understandings of tarot are dated from 1781 to present time (26).
For more information, check out this short video on the history of tarot.
I’m not sure what I was expecting when learning the origins of tarot. Maybe I was looking for some enlightened beginnings that brought this practice to modern-day. What I discovered was that its origins are similar to that of a simple card game. Perhaps its origins are not of the highest importance. Perhaps what allowed tarot to transform and last to its modern definition is what is truly impressive. Stay tuned.