The tarot is a pack of cards (most commonly numbering 78), used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 to play a group of card games

Tarot, tarock and tarocchi games

Tarot, tarock, tarocchi, etc., are a group of card games played with the tarot deck. The first basic rules appear in the manuscript of Martiano da Tortona written before 1425...

 such as Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 tarocchini

Tarocchini

Tarocchini, the diminutive form of Tarocco, referring to the reduction of the Bolognese pack from 78 to 62 cards, which probably occurred in the early 16th century, also known as Partita, is a point trick-taking Tarot card game from the 17th century....

 and French tarot. From the late 18th century until the present time the tarot has also found use by mystics

Mysticism

Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...

 and occultists in efforts at divination

Divinatory, esoteric and occult tarot

Tarot reading revolves around the belief that the cards can be used to gain insight into the past, current and possible future situations of the subject , i.e. cartomancy. Some believe they are guided by a spiritual force, while others believe the cards help them tap into a collective unconscious...

 or as a map of mental and spiritual pathways.

The tarot has four suits

Suit (cards)

In playing cards, a suit is one of several categories into which the cards of a deck are divided. Most often, each card bears one of several symbols showing to which suit it belongs; the suit may alternatively or in addition be indicated by the color printed on the card...

 (which vary by region, being the familiar French suits in Northern Europe, the Spanish suits in Southern Europe, and the German suits in Central Europe).