A Brief History of Tarot
The journey starts here........
There are a number of different theories as to where Tarot Cards originated. Some say they date back to ancient Eygpt, China, India and Persia. There are also others that say to a secret cult in North Africa from the 13th Century. There are even some that claim Tarot derived from Atlantis where magicians wishing to preserve their knowledge and wisdom before Atlantis disappeared forever created them.
Although playing cards have been used in India and Africa it is likely that these developed separately to the Tarot Cards as neither of these cultures have a direct influence on the Tarot.
Tarot Cards first surfaced in Europe in the 15th Century, originally in Italy where they were used for gambling in a game called Tarrochi. Interestingly playing cards that we use today are believed to have developed from the Minor Arcana of the Tarot.
Two of the oldest known sets of Tarot Cards dating back to around 1441 and 1450 are held in a museum in Milan. These are believed to have been designed for the Duke of Milan a member of the powerful Visconti family, whose family crest will be familiar to all car lovers as the badge for Alpha Romeo cars.
These 2 packs are believed to have influenced the design of the famous Rider-Waite pack in 1910 and other packs since then.
The Tarot itself is feared by many people and generates mixed feelings. In fact the established church disapproves of it and others refer to it as "the devil's work". However, this is not the case as the Tarot takes us on a Spiritual Life journey starting with The Fool (birth) through life, death and eventually resurrection.
There are many varied opinions of how Tarot Cards work, but the main theory links it with Kabbalah with its mystical Hebrew Symbols which has strongly influenced the way the cards are understood and used today.
One thing however is certain considering how long the cards have been in use, the Tarot has adapted very well to modern life and is still a relevant and helpful tool for divination.