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Marseille Tarot


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A bit of history on the origin of the Tarot of Marseille

The history of the Marseille tarot is very ancient, dating back to the late 15th century or the end of the Middle Ages. It is studied in the areas of France and northern Italy, and is considered the oldest tarot in Europe, personally I think it is one of the ones I like the most due to its symbolism, colors, and simplicity.

The origin of the name of the Marseille tarot was coined by Paul Marteau in the year 30, he was a French card-reader and Marseille was a center for card-making. The Tarot de Marseille deck, which we now know from its medieval-origin designs, derives from industrially-made drawings by wood engraving. And since the nineteenth century they have been printing and expanding until today. The engravings are supposedly inspired by the iconography of Gothic stained glass windows in their forms and colors.

The Major Arcana are 22 cards and are the most important in the tarot deck, they carry the most symbolism and are numbered from 0 to 21 and illustrated with figures and archetypes that connect with the collective unconscious.