The Different Types of Tarot Cards

Tarot cards are of different types. The tarot isnever used to describe the non occult playing cards
usually a deck of 78 cards, each having its specialof the tarot.
significance and meaning. The different varieties ofThe different occult tarot decks are:
tarot cards are explained here.• The Rider Waite Smith deck: This is one of the
The tarot cards can be of the occult and the nonearliest occult tarot decks. The illustrations of the
occult types. The non occult Italian decks are of theRider waite Smith deck are drawn by artist Pamela
conventional four suit types. Four of the non occultColeman Smith under the instructions of the great
Italian tarot decks are the tarocco piemontese, theChristian Occultist and mystic Arthur Edward Waite.
tarocco de Besancon, the tarocco siciliano and theThese cards were originally printed by the Rider
tarocco Bolognese.company in 1910. The images of the major arcana of
Apart from these Italian non occult tarot decks,this simple tarot deck are complex and filled with
especially used as playing cards, trot cards have beenesoteric symbolism.
specifically designed for the occult purpose and this• The Marseilles tarot deck is used for divination as
special occult tarot decks are not used for playingwell as game play. The Marseilles tarot deck
tarot cards. The foremost occult tarot decks werepossesses repetitive esoteric motifs on the minor
issued by Etteila and this deck too consists ofarcana cards. The minor arcana cards are numbered
seventy eight cards. The Etteila's first occult decksfor game play. The Marseilles type tarot cards do not
had themes related to ancient Egypt. The Etteilahave full scenes drawn on them, they instead have
occult deck is divided into two categories, the majorgeometric symbols corresponding to the suit symbols
arcane are the greater secrets and the minor arcaneused in the Marseilles type tarot cards.
or the lesser secrets. The major arcane consists of• The Thoth tarot of Aleister Crowley is another
22 cards whereas the minor arcane consists of 56tarot card that is used for occult practices. The
cards. Some of the key major arcane cards are theillustrations on the Thoth tarot reflect a lifetime of
Fool, the Empress, The Magician, the Hermit, wheeloccultist work by Aleister Crowley and the tarot are
of Fortune, Justice, the Devil, Judgment, The Star,painted by Lady Frieda Harris under Crowley's
The moon, death etc. The major arcane cards aredirection.
arranged without any suits whereas the 56 minorBesides these, there has been other modernist tarot
arcane cards are arranged in suits. The minor arcanedecks like the golden dawn tarot and the tarot of
cards are grouped into four suits of fourteen cards inthe cat people (complete with pictures of cats on
each suit. The names Major arcane and minor arcaneevery card), the tarot of the witches etc.
were given by Jean Baptiste Pitois and they are