The structure of a Tarot deck

A Tarot deck consists of 78 cards, divided into two groups, usually called major arcana (or trumps) and minor arcana. The 22 cards in the major arcana set are numbered from 1 to 21, with one unnumbered card (The Fool). The major arcana cards are usually given more weight in a Tarot reading, and are seen as embodying universal themes. In contrast, the minor arcana cards represent more everyday concerns. Like ordinary playing cards, these cards are divided into four suits. Each suit has a series of cards numbered from Ace to 10, and four court cards (whereas ordinary playing cards have only three).

The four suits have changed over time. Today, many decks use the convention established by Arthur Edward Waite, who designed the Rider-Waite pack (together with artist Pamela Colman Smith). Waite changed the name of Coins to Pentacles. The Rider-Waite deck adopted the following convention:

    Wands (associated with the element Fire)
    Cups (associated with Water)
    Swords (associated with Air)
    Pentacles (associated with Earth)

Wands are also called Batons, Sceptres, Rods, Clubs, Staffs and Staves, and can be associated with Air in some decks. Cups are sometimes Vessels, Rivers, Cauldrons, Chalices and Hearts. Most decks associated Cups with Water. Swords can be Birds, Blades, Daggers, Knives or Spades, and some decks associate this suit with Fire. Pentacles are often Coins, but can also be Stones, Discs, and Diamonds. Most decks associate this suit with Earth.

The suit names are sometimes changed to fit with a particular theme, while the element associations depend largely on the system used, or simply on the personal associations of the designer. Gardnerian Wicca, for example, associates Wands with Fire, while other traditions associate Wands with Air.

Court card names can be rather confusing. Just like people, court cards have a reputation for being a little difficult, and not only when it comes to what they are called! The Rider-Waite  deck uses King, Queen, Knight and Page. Crowley’s Thoth Tarot deck follows the Golden Dawn convention of Knight, Queen, Prince and Princess. Confusing? Some decks have opted to rename the court cards to Father, Mother, Son, Daughter (Quest Tarot, Elemental Tarot); Lord, Lady, Knight, Maiden (Tarot of Jane Austen); Master, Mistress, Warrior, Slave (Ibis Tarot); Speaker, Gift, Knower, Place (Shining Tribe Tarot); or even Controlling, Feeling, Doing, Learning (Bright Idea Deck).

The order and names of the 22 Major Arcana cards have also changed considerably over the centuries, and you will find decks that call Trump XIII (Death) Transformation, or Trump XIV (Temperance) Art, for example. Older decks might have The Pope ass Trump V, and Jupiter and Juno as Trumps IV and II respectively. Waite swopped the then-conventional use of VIII as Justice and XI as Strength. Aleister Crowley, who designed the Thoth Tarot (with artist Lady Frieda Harris), kept the original order. Since these two decks are considered “standards”, many other modern decks follow either of the two conventions. The Rider-Waite pack uses the following:

Unnumbered or 0—The Fool

I—The Magician

II—The High Priestess

III—The Empress

IV—The Emperor

V—The Hierophant

VI—The Lovers

VII—The Chariot

VIII—Strength

IX—The Hermit

X—Wheel of Fortune

XI—Justice

XII—The Hanged Man

XIII—Death

XIV—Temperance

XV—The Devil

XVI—The Tower

XVII—The Star

XVIII—The Moon

XIX—The Sun

XX—Judgment

XXI—The World