Tarot Cards

Tarot cards have been used for games and divination since at least the 14th Century. Some historians trace Tarot cards all the way back to Ancient Egypt.

While the design of Tarot decks varies widely, the deck consists of two parts. The Minor Arcana is divided into four suits with fourteen cards each -- swords, cups, wands, and coins or pentacles. The Major Arcana consists of 22 unsuited cards depicting such figures as the Fool, the Magician, and Death. Each card has a certain interpretation, and Tarot card meanings change depending on whether the card is dealt upright or upside down ("reversed"). There are several ways in which to use the Tarot for divination -- from drawing a single card to dealing an elaborate spread and examining the relationships between the cards.

The modern deck of playing cards is actually a simplified version of the Tarot. Tarot decks are still produced by the millions today by everyone from small printers to large companies like US Games and the Fournier Card Company. The Fournier Card Company of Spain is one of the world's leading producers of Tarot decks. A look through their catalog will show just how many varieties of Tarot cards have been designed over the years. Some are reproductions of medieval decks, and some are new masterpieces drawn by modern artists. Some Tarot decks are designed to reflect the symbolism of a particular culture, mythology, or magical tradition, such as the Thoth tarot deck designed by the notorious magician Aleister Crowley. And some are simply meant to be pleasing to the eye. Whatever your taste in art or culture, there's likely to be a Tarot deck that matches it.