A Brief History of Tarot Cards, and Crazy Facts You Didn’t Know

First off: what exactly are tarot cards? Many people think of some mysterious woman draped in dramatic fabrics, warning you of your impending death or a man you might meet in the near future. Tarot cards, or “Taromancy” loosely translates to “looking for premonitions.” Many believe that tarot cards are a way of predicting your future, but in reality, they’re a way for you to help manifest and self-actualize your destiny and the path you were meant to be on. It can give insight into both the past and the future. Still, there are many things about tarot reading that you didn’t know, including its surprising history.

While they sometimes have a bad rap for being black magic or a work of the devil, Tarot actually originates not as a way to fortune-tell, but instead as a card game in the 15th century, called Tarocchi. Only in the 18th century did it start to be used in the context of divination. Tarot was the first deck of cards ever invented, and all other playing cards were inspired by it.

A man called Jean Baptise Alliette, from France, published the first real guide to tarot card reading. He gave the deck of cards their meaning, drawing influence and inspiration from the natural elements and facts about astronomy. He assigned a specific order to the cards which is still used today. Then, in 2909, tarot got another update. This one, by tarot reader A.E. Waite and William Rider, explored the scenes that tell a story when cards are placed together.

Here are some other intriguing facts about the art of tarot that you might not know.

1. There are 78 cards in a deck of tarot cards, which are divided into two Arcanas. The major Arcana, with 22 cards, help determine the journey towards self-enlightenment, while the Minor Arcana, with 56 cards has four suits which each represent a different elemental signs.