In this section, I examine the history of the Tarot as well as looking at some references that I later used to inspire my own deck.
Tarot cards originated in Italy as a set of playing cards. Initially used for games; they then took on a new life in the world of spirituality. Today they are used both by people with a genuine spiritual belief in the powers of divination, & those without, who use it as a starting point for self-reflection or simply enjoying the artistry of the cards. Other playing card decks are also used in divination, however, in the case of the tarot it is now seen as their main purpose. Many themed decks focus on various subjects in varying art styles, from serious to whimsical. Below are a few examples.
The Rider Waite Deck- https://www.tarot.com/tarot/decks/rider
The best known but not earliest tarot deck, it was created in 1909 by Pamela Colman Smith & Arthur Edward Waite. This deck played a part in popularising the divination use of tarot cards, being specifically designed for this purpose. Many more recent decks take influence from the iconography of this deck, which likewise was influenced by the existing imagery of its predecessors. The iconography & potent symbolism of the cards has since been widely reinterpreted.
The Mitelli-Tarocchini-https://www.wopc.co.uk/italy/mitelli-tarocchini
A good example of a deck used for card games, this deck uses 'Trump cards' which are unnamed and unnumbered. A very different style to the more modern higher Arcana.
The D&D Deck- https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2022/03/dd-gets-into-major-arcana-with-a-new-tarot-deck.html
This deck interested me as it showed a previous connection between tabletop roleplay and the Tarot. I took the time to look through these while developing my versions.
The Modern Tarot-https://sefirot.games/
A more recent interpretation, this deck recombines the game element with the divination element, creating a whole new type of tarot.
A good example of a more humorous tarot, offering an entire deck made completely of cat images.
The Montieri Tarocchino- https://tarotopia.com.au/decks-kits/tarocchino-montieri/
A replica of an early card deck that is considered one of the rarest, due to having been banned and most of its copies destroyed by the church due to the later connection with witchcraft. It does not feature the now typically accepted set of cards, as it was not yet standardised, and reflects its historical context.
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