Many beginners notice that tarot cards are numbered and wonder whether tarot and numerology are the same thing. While the two traditions are connected in important ways, they have different histories and developed independently. Understanding that relationship provides useful context for studying the Minor Arcana. If you’ve spent any time learning tarot, you’ve probably come … Read more
Most tarot decks contain 78 cards, but why this specific number? Discover how the structure of the tarot developed over time and why the 78-card deck became the modern standard. If you’ve already learned that a standard tarot deck contains 78 cards, another question naturally follows: Why 78? At first, the number may seem oddly … Read more
The numbers on tarot cards are more than simple labels, but they were not always understood symbolically. Discover how tarot numbers became part of modern tarot interpretation and learn the traditional themes associated with Ace through Ten. When learning tarot, it’s natural to notice the illustrations, the four suits, and the Court Cards. Another important … Read more
The Tarot Court Cards are often considered one of the most challenging parts of tarot. Learn what Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings represent, how they differ from numbered cards, and why there is no single way to interpret them. For many beginners, the Court Cards can feel more difficult to understand than the rest of … Read more
Arthur Edward Waite helped shape one of the world’s most influential tarot decks. Learn about his life, his ideas, and how his collaboration with Pamela Colman Smith changed the history of tarot. When people first encounter the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot, they often notice Pamela Colman Smith’s distinctive illustrations. Behind those illustrations, however, was another important figure: … Read more
Tarot cards were not originally created for fortune-telling. So when did people begin using them for divination? Discover how tarot gradually evolved from a Renaissance card game into a tool for symbolic interpretation. One of the most common misconceptions about tarot is that it has always been used to tell the future. Based on current … Read more
Pamela Colman Smith was the artist behind the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot, one of the most influential tarot decks ever created. Discover her life, artistic background, and lasting contribution to tarot history. When people talk about the Rider–Waite Tarot, they often mention Arthur Edward Waite. However, the illustrations that made the deck so distinctive were created by … Read more
The Tarot de Marseille and the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot are two of the most influential tarot traditions. Discover how they differ in history, artwork, and reading approaches—and why both continue to shape tarot today. If you’ve spent any time learning about tarot, you’ve probably encountered two names repeatedly: the Tarot de Marseille and the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot. … Read more
The Tarot de Marseille is one of the best-known historical tarot traditions. Learn how this distinctive style developed, why it became so influential, and how it helped shape the tarot we know today. When people first explore tarot history, they often encounter two names: the Visconti-Sforza Tarot and the Tarot de Marseille. At first glance, … Read more
The Visconti-Sforza Tarot is one of the oldest surviving tarot decks known today. Discover who commissioned these remarkable cards, how they were used, and why they remain one of the most important sources for understanding tarot’s early history. When exploring the history of tarot, one deck appears again and again: the Visconti-Sforza Tarot. Although historians … Read more