Where does the Tarot come from?
The Tarots history is a relatively modern one, associated with the evolution of playing cards. The earliest historical reference to regular playing cards is in 1377, probably shortly after their invention. It is likely that the Tarot pack, with its additional fourth court card in each suit and its twenty-two stylised triumphs, was a later variant upon the ordinary gaming deck. However, the exact history of this expanded deck with its picture cards is not clear. All we can say for certain is that the game of Tarocchi was a popular pastime in fifteenth century Italy, and that the earliest surviving complete Tarot deck is a hand-painted set that was commissioned by two wealthy Italian noblemen circa 1450. Later, commencing in final decades of the eighteenth century, the Tarot was adopted by many who were interested in the occult and in magic. Connections were made with ancient mystical systems (not always with very good evidence!) and the cards became a tool for divination and fortune-tel
