tarot cards

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Scope note
Any of a set of illustrated cards used in games and in the practice of divination or fortune-telling. From ca.15th century, tarot cards were used to play games such as Tarocchini, first appearing in Ferrara and Milan in northern Italy, with the Fool and 21 trumps or 'trionfi' being added to the standard Italian pack of four suits: batons, coins, cups and swords. The original purpose of the cards was game play but much later, ca. 18th century, a species of tarot card decks evolved for use in cartomancy, or divination by occultists. These have a Major Arcana consisting of 22 cards without suits and Minor Arcana consisting of 56 cards divided into four suits of 14 cards each.
tarot cards
Accepted term: 01-Dec-2025