History of Playing Cards for Divination: Origins of Tarot, Mahjong, and Cartomancy

Playing cards are believed to have originated in 9th-century China during the Tang Dynasty, where they were used both for entertainment and as a form of divination or gambling. Early Chinese cards resembled paper dominoes or money-suited cards and often reflected social structures and economic metaphors.

By the 13th and 14th centuries, playing cards had travelled west via trade routes, reaching the Islamic world and eventually Europe. Mamluk Egypt produced ornate, hand-painted decks, which likely influenced early European designs. When cards arrived in Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain, they evolved into suits representing the social classes: cups (clergy), swords (military), coins (merchants), and batons (peasants).