Excerpts From A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot

Tarot As Seen by A. E. Waite and Pamela Coleman

Most of us started our journey into the world of Tarot with the deck created by A.E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Coleman Smith. Being so, it seems only fitting that actual work of these purveyors of modern Tarot be given a space to be studied by all. In that spirit I have created this section filled with their writing and art. The text is from Waite's "The Pictorial Key to the Tarot." The images are scans of the earliest Rider-Waite Deck I could find (circa 1910). Click the links to below to read A. E. Waite's interpretation of the different tarot cards. The thumbnail images throughout the text are linked to larger images of the Tarot cards created by Pamela Coleman Smith.

Cards of The Tarot Major Arcana

The Fool  The Magician  The High Priestess  The Empress  The Emperor  The Hierophant  The Lovers  The Chariot  Strength  The Hermit  Wheel of Fortune  Justice  The Hanged Man  Death  Temperance   The Devil  The Tower  The Star  The Moon  The Sun  Judgment   The World

Cards of The Tarot Wands

Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Wands  Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Wands  Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Wands

Cards of The Tarot Cups

Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Cups  Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Cups  Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Cups

Cards of The Tarot Swords

Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Swords  Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Swords  Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Swords

Cards of The Tarot Pentacles (Disks)

Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Pentacles  Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Pentacles  Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Pentacles