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Playing cards were invented in China in the 9th Century CE. The idea spread to Persia and Arabia via the Silk Road and came to Europe from Egypt through Venetian traders in the 1300's.

The suits that the Venetians copied from the Egyptians were cups, coins, scimitars, and polo-sticks. The polo-sticks were changed to staves because polo was unknown in Europe at the time. These suits are called the Latin suits.

Some time in the early 1400's, Italians added a set of extra cards that represented the events of the end of the world in Christian theology. Because this sequence of events represented God's triumph over evil, they were called carte da trionfi, or "triumph cards", which evolved into the word "trump". These became the Major Arcana of the tarot.




As cards and card games spread and gained popularity in Europe, cardmakers in Marseilles, France invented simpler cards that were cheaper to make. Clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades were easy to stencil on cards. These became known as the French suits. The 52 card French deck became the main playing card system in England and America.

In the late 1800's, British occultists invented fortune-telling with 'exotic' European tarot cards. Occultist A. E. Waite hired illustrator Pamela Colman Smith to design a tarot deck that was produced by the Rider printing company. This was the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, the most famous tarot design.

Interest in the occult had a revival in the post-War counterculture and New Age movement. These days, most American cities have one or two 'alternative' book stores that carry books and items relating to the occult and paranormal.

Do you know the history behind your favorite games?

Next time: My First Tarot Deck

Thanks for reading!