A History of the Game of Tarot

A History of the Game of Tarot traces the development and evolution of tarot cards from their origins in Renaissance Italy through their spread across Europe. The book examines playing card traditions in multiple countries including Italy, France, Austria, and Germany. Dummett presents historical records, game rules, and cultural contexts spanning five centuries of tarot card play. His research covers the transition from early trick-taking card games to the emergence of occult and divinatory uses in the 18th century. The text includes detailed analysis of regional variations in deck design, gameplay mechanics, and scoring systems. Period illustrations and card reproductions support the historical documentation. This work challenges common assumptions about tarot's original purpose and demonstrates how games and cultural practices transform over time. The book serves as both a gaming history and an examination of how objects take on new social meanings.

Readers describe this as a dense academic text focused on card game history rather than divination. Many reviewers note they bought it expecting occult content but instead found detailed research on gaming mechanics and regional variations. Likes: - Thorough documentation of tarot's origins as a game - Comprehensive coverage of rules and variations - High academic research standards - Debunks common myths about tarot history Dislikes: - Very technical writing style - Long passages in untranslated French - Limited discussion of esoteric/divinatory aspects - High price and limited availability - Small print and dense formatting One reader called it "impenetrable but important," while another noted it "requires serious dedication to get through." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.22/5 (23 ratings) Amazon: Not enough reviews for rating Out of print - used copies sell for $200-400 Several reviewers recommend starting with Dummett's shorter work "The Game of Tarot" for a more accessible introduction to the topic.

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🎴 Michael Dummett spent 15 years researching and writing this comprehensive history, making it the first major academic work on tarot's origins as a card game. 🃏 The book definitively debunks the common belief that tarot cards were created for occult purposes, proving they originated as playing cards in 15th-century Italy. 👑 Dummett, primarily known as an eminent philosopher at Oxford University, became fascinated with tarot after learning about the complex French tarot game while in France. 🎲 The volume traces how tarot evolved from Italian nobility's favorite pastime into various regional games across Europe, with particularly rich traditions in France, Austria, and Italy. 📚 Published in 1980, this 600-page scholarly work took decades to be surpassed as the authoritative source on tarot's gaming history and remains a cornerstone reference today.