Cartomancy, also known as metasymbology, is a form of divination or fortune telling using a deck of cards and has been in existence as early as the fourteenth century. Fortune telling is the act of predicting one’s future through supernatural or mystical rituals. And divination, which is similar, but the interpretations are ascertained through the use of portents or omens in a religious context.
Fortune telling in the form of cartomancy has been observed for hundreds of years with some of its practitioners even claiming that its origin dates as far back as ancient Egyptian times. Although cartomancy can easily be performed using a regular deck of playing cards, there are several other types of decks that are also used for this purpose. Standard decks of 52 cards were most commonly used by cartomancers or card readers up until the late 20th century when tarot cards increased in popularity.
Tarot cards are believed to have originated in northern Italy in the early 1400s and feature 22 cards that are referred to as major arcana cards, and 56 minor arcana cards, with arcana meaning “hidden things”. The minor arcana set closely resembles the familiar, standard deck of playing cards while the major arcana set is comprised of court cards, which are usually the king, queen, knight and page, as well as ten pips or numbered cards. In cartomancy, a tarot deck layout can easily be adapted to a reading using a standard deck since Hearts equate to Cups, Diamonds to Coins, Spades to Swords and Clubs to Wands.
Decks with four suits and 52 cards, which are also used for games such as poker, solitaire or bridge, are still widely used today in the practice of cartomancy. In the standard deck of cards it is said that each king actually represents a prominent ruler from throughout history. The King of Hearts represents Charlemagne, the King of Diamonds is said to be Julius Caesar, King David represents Spades and Alexander the Great is portrayed on the King of Clubs.
Playing cards have also long been associated with several superstitions and omens foretelling bad luck. For instance, fishermen believed that having a deck of cards on the ship during a voyage was sure to bring bad luck to all who were on board. Gamblers also have superstitions when it comes to cards such as being dealt the four of clubs, which is said to predict that you’ll never get a good hand. In poker, a full house with aces over eights, the hand Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was shot to death, is referred to as “The dead man’s hand” and considered to be extremely unlucky.
In addition to superstitions, most cartomancers also abide by centuries old traditions and practices that strongly believe that any type of cards used for cartomancy should never be used for any other purposes. Cartomancers also believe that the cards are powerful tools that should be respected and treated with the utmost care. As a result, most readers strictly adhere to the rule that a deck of cards should never be touched or used by anyone other than their owner.