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History of the Tarot Cards

The most influential tarot deck of the past century, is this Rider-Waite-Smith deck.
It was conceived by Arthur Waite, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and published by Rider in 1910.

The Tarot deck is really two decks in one.
There are 22 Major Arcana or Trump cards and 56 Minor Arcana or Pips/suit cards.
The Pips are throught to be inspired by the various types of playing cards that existed throughout Asia and a uniquely European version of them was produced early in the 14th century. The Trumps are suspected to have been introduced in Europe later as a separate game deck,some time in the 15th century. The archetypal images and symbols used for the cards are believed to have been inspired by the popular mystical interests of the European Renaissance: Ars Memoria, Gnosticism,Neoplatism, & Magia.

Even though it is likely that the Tarot Cards originated in the European Renasissance and not in Ancient Egypt or Atlantis, it does not mean they have no special significance. There is much symbolic power in these Tarot decks and the essential iconography has changed very little in the traditional Tarot decks for over five centuries. Over time the two Tarot decks have been put together, the images refined, and interesting systems developed by which to interpret the symbols within these Tarot card decks for use in divination.

There are many types of Tarot card decks,
but they can all work on the same principle of evoking the collective unconsciousness
from the images that depict the stages in a process of psychological deepening and maturation.

Thereby very useful as a personal growth tool transcending ethnicity,
gender and religion, providing insight to universal principles and laws.

The traditional Tarot consists of 78 cards divided into

22 major arcana cards (greater secrets) in the tarot card deck they are:

and 56 minor arcana cards (lesser secrets) in the tarot card deck, they are:

The major arcana cards in the Tarot depict 22 spiritual lessons in allegorical fashion.
The 56 minor arcana Tarot cards are similar to a modern deck of 52 playing cards and consist
of four suits containing ten pip or numbered cards

plus four court cards in each suit.

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