Tarot of Marseilles - Tarot Tradition and Piatnik’s Tarot Cards - The 22 Major Arcana of Tarot

Oct 13, 2026

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Explores the origins, terminology, and cultural pathways of Tarot cards, noting their pictographic structure and their spread through regions from Europe to parts of the East. Describes a 78-card packet: 22 major Arcana and 56 minor Arcana, including four suited groups and the relative prominence of the major cards. Examines mystical interpretations, links to cabala and the Hebrew alphabet, and psychological theories such as individuation, archetypes, and the movement from the Fool toward the World.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPosters

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Tarot Tradition and Piatnik’s Tarot Cards

The 22 Major Arcana of Tarot

Origins and the Name of Tarot

Mystical Significance of Tarot

Psychological Importance of Tarot

| TAROT OF MARSEILLES | | --- | | | | Piatnik-Vienna | TAROT OF MARSEILLES GEORG GOTTLOB Piatnik-Wien TAROT TRADITION AND PIATNIK’S TAROT CARDS THE 22 MAJOR ARCANA OF TAROT Tarot consists of pictographic cards, which gave rise to the game of Taroc as it is known in Our days. Tarot cards in Europe emerged apparently as early as in the course of the 14th century partly in Italy and partly in France. There are theories, however, according to which Tarot in fact originated in ancient Egypt, from where it took its course to conquer the world. In many of the Eastern countries, from Egypt through India and to China, one actually may find a number of such figurative images with a likeness to the Tarot figures: even the Gypsies have such cards, which may explain how these were spread in Asia and Europe. It is just as difficult to prove scientifically the genesis of the Tarot cards as to ascertain the origin of the name of tarot. Some scientists think that this name is of French origin, but Gustav Meyrinck, in his book ‘The Golem’ is of the opinion ‘[...] that aroc or Tarot has the same meaning as the Hebrew word ‘Torah’ (the Law), or the name may be connected with the ancient Egyptian word ‘Taruth’ (the One who is consulted), or it may come from the word‘Tarisk’ of the ancient Zend language, which means “I demand the answer.“ The Tarot cards are used for “play as well as—and this is more often the case—for “fortune telling’. A packet consists of 78 cards: 22 of the major Arcana (= the great mysteries) which are the same as the trumps in the game of Taroc, and of the 56 minor Arcana (the lesser mysteries) . The minor Arcana are similar to the cards of our modern games, and are divided into four sults: Swords, Wands, Cups and Coins (equi-valent to Spade, Club, Heart and Diamond) and there are fourteen cards of each suit. The minor Arcana in Tarot, however, play a smaller role, and it is said that these came very much later into being than the major Arcana. THE MYSTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF TAROT The 22 major Arcana have always been the subject of mystical considerations. Principally Magicians and Hermetics used these cards. Many of them saw in Tarot a microcosmic universal formula apt to explain the happeningsin the Universe and could even interpret the meaning of existence. The understanding of this formula certainly needed a considerable degree of dedication and time consuming meditation in respect of each card. Some mystics believe that Tarot is a sort of primeval scripture or language similar to the ecstatic utterances mentioned in the Bible. These theories approach the psychological character of Tarot. The course of researches of the French cabalist Eliphas Levi and of the“enlightened” wigmaker Etteila d’Odoucet followed a similar direction in the middle of the 19th century. Both established connections between Tarot and the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the 22 Hebrew letters corresponds with the 22 major Arcana. This assertion is not without foundation as it complies with other theories as to the origin of Tarot. This connection with the Hebrew alphabet may point to a way of linking Tarot cards with an art of cabalistic letter and number mystic. Perhaps the Jewish secret doctrine of cabala may give us advice as to the meaning of the single cards. The main work of the cabala, the Sohar (=Brilliance) treats, among others, the different properties of the Hebrew letters from which the significance of the Tarot cards may derived. According to a more daring assumption Tarot might be a part of the cabala itself. Very little is known of the use of Tarot cards in magicspeculative rituals. Tarot may also be connected with astrology: in the 19th century the Frenchman “Christian”related Tarot cards to the signs of the Zodiac and also to the Planets of the Solar System. Some representatives of modern esoteric teachings, like Franz Bardon and Elisabeth Haich, see in the major Arcana the different stages towards the mystica

FAQs

What is in a Tarot deck and how are the cards organized?

A packet consists of 78 cards: 22 major Arcana and 56 minor Arcana. The minor Arcana are divided into four suits—Swords, Wands, Cups, and Coins—with fourteen cards in each suit.

How is the origin of Tarot and the name “tarot” explained?

The text notes that the exact genesis of Tarot cards is difficult to prove and presents several theories about the origin of the name, including French origin and connections to Hebrew terms and ancient languages.

What mystical and psychological roles do the 22 major Arcana play?

Mystically, the 22 major Arcana are treated as subjects of contemplation used by Magicians and Hermetics, and some theories connect them with cabala through the Hebrew alphabet. Psychologically, they are presented as stages of the individuation process, moving from the Magician to the World.

Oct 13, 2026

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