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 historical evidence, this does not appear to be the case.
The earliest surviving tarot decks from fifteenth-century Italy were created for playing card games rather than for divination. Their artwork reflected the culture and artistic traditions of the Renaissance, but there is no clear evidence that they were originally designed as fortune-telling tools.
So how did tarot become associated with divination?
The answer lies in a gradual historical development that unfolded over several centuries.
Were Tarot Cards Originally Used for Fortune-Telling?
According to the surviving historical record, tarot first appeared in northern Italy during the fifteenth century as a card game played by members of the nobility.
Decks such as the Visconti–Sforza Tarot contain many of the images we still recognise today, including the Major Arcana and the four suits.
However, historians have found no convincing evidence that these early decks were originally created for divination.
This distinction is important because it reminds us that the history of tarot cards and the history of tarot reading are related, but they are not exactly the same story.
When Did Divinatory Interpretations Begin?
The association between tarot and divination became much more visible during the eighteenth century.
French writer Antoine Court de Gébelin argued that tarot preserved ancient symbolic wisdom, particularly from Egypt. Although these ideas became highly influential, modern historians generally do not accept his historical conclusions because they are not supported by contemporary evidence.
Soon afterward, Jean-Baptiste Alliette, better known by the pen name Etteilla, developed one of the earliest published systems for reading tarot specifically for divination.
His work helped establish tarot as more than a playing-card deck and introduced methods that influenced later readers.
Why Did People Connect Tarot With Ancient Egypt?
Today, many people have heard that tarot originated in ancient Egypt.
This idea became popular largely through eighteenth-century French writers rather than through historical evidence.
At the time, Egypt was widely viewed in Europe as a source of hidden wisdom and ancient knowledge. Associating tarot with Egypt gave the cards an aura of mystery and spiritual significance.
Based on current historical research, however, tarot is generally understood to have originated in Renaissance Italy rather than in ancient Egypt.
How Did Tarot Continue to Evolve?
Interest in tarot continued to grow throughout the nineteenth century.
Different writers and esoteric groups explored new symbolic systems, including correspondences with astrology, Kabbalah, and other philosophical traditions.
These developments shaped many modern approaches to tarot reading.
It is important to remember, however, that these interpretive systems developed centuries after the earliest surviving tarot decks were created.
Recognising this timeline helps us distinguish between documented history and later traditions of interpretation.
What About the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot?
When the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot was published in 1909, tarot was already being used for divination.
Rather than introducing tarot reading itself, the deck presented many symbolic ideas through richly illustrated artwork created by Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite.
Because every Minor Arcana card included a narrative scene, the deck became especially influential in twentieth-century tarot practice.
Many later decks adopted this visual approach while building on earlier traditions of interpretation.
Why Does This History Matter?
Understanding when tarot became associated with divination helps us appreciate the cards from more than one perspective.
Historically, tarot began as a card game in Renaissance Italy.
Over time, different writers, artists, and readers developed symbolic systems that transformed tarot into a tool for reflection and divination.
Neither part of that story needs to replace the other.
Instead, together they illustrate how tarot has evolved across different cultures and historical periods.
Continue Exploring
The history of tarot did not end when divinatory traditions emerged.
In the next stage of its development, artists and scholars continued to reinterpret the cards in new ways.
To learn more, you may also enjoy:
- Who Was Pamela Colman Smith?
- Arthur Edward Waite: The Man Behind the Deck
- The History of the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot
Exploring these later figures helps explain how one twentieth-century tarot deck came to influence so many readers around the world.