The Tarot Podcast with T. Susan Chang

In Episode 48, the tarot historian and independent scholar Sherryl Smith gave us an introduction to the classic European deck known as the Tarot de Marseille, or TdM. In this episode, our focus is how to read with these historic cards—which many modern tarot readers find intimidating. Sherryl demystifies the ins and outs of the TdM, explaining why some readers find the deck downright liberating.

Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a demonstration reading with the TdM! Bonus TdM readings—and full graphics for the episode—can be found on our Patreon website (www.patreon.com/thetarotpodcast). If you’d like to submit a question for a future reading on the Tarot Podcast, sign up as a paid member! (https://patreon.com/thetarotpodcast). You’ll find out when readings are happening on Patreon or Discord and be able to share your question in advance.

Sherryl Smith’s tarot journey began over 50 years ago when she saw David Palladini’s Aquarian deck in a bookstore and instantly recognized an important turning point in her life. She has been studying the history of tarot and reading with historic decks for 25 years.  Her website Tarot-Heritage.com tells the story of tarot’s 600-year history. The Cartomancy section of the website has everything you need to get started reading with historic decks like the Tarot de Marseille

Links for this episode:

Sherryl’s website: https://tarot-heritage.com

Purchase historic decks at Tarot Arts https://tarotarts.com/collections/tarot-decks-and-kits/realm_historic-decks?

Episode 48: What is the Tarot de Marseille? with Sherryl Smith.

YouTube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/WxiI8mVQJkM

 

Sherryl’s TdM Resources:

Books

Yoav Ben Dov. The Marseille Tarot Revealed: A Complete Guide to Symbolism, Meanings and Methods. (Llewellyn, 2017) https://www.amazon.com/Marseille-Tarot-Revealed-Complete-Symbolism/dp/0738752282

Carrie Spider. Tarot de Marseille: Reading the Cards as They Were Used. Self-published 2026. https://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Marseille-Reading-Cards-They/dp/B0GBT7SYD4

Wayne Limberger. Pips, Courts and Trumps: A Simple Guide to the Tarot de Marseille. Ebook available at Lulu.com. https://www.lulu.com/shop/wayne-limberger/pips-courts-and-trumps-a-short-simple-guide-to-the-tarot-de-marseille/ebook/product-5mm5rp.html

 

Where to purchase decks in the US

US Games: https://www.usgamesinc.com/?target=search&mode=search&substring=marseille&including=all

CBD Tarot de Marseille. Produced by Yoav Ben Dov, author of the book listed above.

Tarot Arnoux & Amphoux 1801, produced by the French card maker Yves Reynaud listed below.

Tarot de Marseille Convos

Llewellyn.com:
https://www.llewellyn.com/browse_category.php?start=0&sort_by=&product_category_id=232

Universal Tarot de Marseille

Tarot de Marseille

Tarot de Marseille Mini

Artisan Tarot https://artisantarot.com/

Unique and whimsical decks:

Marseille Cat Tarot

Squid Cake Marseille

The Rider-Marseille Tarot Deck

Where to purchase decks in Europe

https://tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/
Yves Reynaud of Marseille makes facsimiles of historic Tarot de Marseille decks he finds in museums. The production quality and price are designed for the average card reader.

https://www.facebook.com/Marco.C.Benedetti.Tarot
Marco Benedetti of Rome has a Facebook page—no website. Handcrafted decks at reasonable prices. Pierre Madenié 1709 is a favorite.

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Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast

Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista

Sign up for readings and explore books and classes!
thetarotpodcast.com

Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)

The Rider Waite Smith and Thoth tarot decks may be the most recognized decks in the English-speaking world. But it is the Tarot de Marseille, known in tarot circles as the TdM, that has the furthest intercontinental reach and the longest history. Even today, it is the deck most widely used in European countries.

This week, tarot historian and independent scholar Sherryl Smith takes us on a journey through the origins and idiosyncrasies of the TdM.  Next week, we’ll have a discussion of how to actually use the TdM! which intimidates many readers with its cryptic woodcut imagery and non-scenic pips.

Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a demonstration reading with the TdM! Bonus TdM readings can be found on our Patreon website (www.patreon.com/thetarotpodcast), and we will have another set of readings to go with next week’s episode. If you’d like to submit a question for a future reading on the Tarot Podcast, sign up as a paid member! (https://patreon.com/thetarotpodcast). You’ll find out when readings are happening on Patreon or Discord and be able to share your question then!

All images for this episode can be viewed on Patreon, or on the YouTube version of the show.

Sherryl Smith’s tarot journey began over 50 years ago when she saw David Palladini’s Aquarian deck in a bookstore and instantly recognized an important turning point in her life. She has been studying the history of tarot and reading with historic decks for 25 years.  Her website Tarot-Heritage.com tells the story of tarot’s 600-year history. The Cartomancy section of the website has everything you need to get started reading with historic decks like the Tarot de Marseille

Links for this episode:

Sherryl’s website: https://tarot-heritage.com

Purchase historic decks at Tarot Arts https://tarotarts.com/collections/tarot-decks-and-kits/realm_historic-decks?

Episode 20: What is the Rider Waite Smith Tarot? with Mary K. Greer https://youtu.be/qOcUbM9t8eo

Episode 21: What is the Thoth Tarot? with Lon Milo DuQuette
https://youtu.be/njY_oyfgb7g

Video version of the episode: https://youtu.be/mpvDn7fNSc8

Sherryl’s TdM Resources:

Books

Yoav Ben Dov. The Marseille Tarot Revealed: A Complete Guide to Symbolism, Meanings and Methods. (Llewellyn, 2017) https://www.amazon.com/Marseille-Tarot-Revealed-Complete-Symbolism/dp/0738752282

Carrie Spider. Tarot de Marseille: Reading the Cards as They Were Used. Self-published 2026. https://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Marseille-Reading-Cards-They/dp/B0GBT7SYD4

Wayne Limberger. Pips, Courts and Trumps: A Simple Guide to the Tarot de Marseille. Ebook available at Lulu.com. https://www.lulu.com/shop/wayne-limberger/pips-courts-and-trumps-a-short-simple-guide-to-the-tarot-de-marseille/ebook/product-5mm5rp.html

 

Where to purchase decks in the US

US Games: https://www.usgamesinc.com/?target=search&mode=search&substring=marseille&including=all

CBD Tarot de Marseille. Produced by Yoav Ben Dov, author of the book listed above.

Tarot Arnoux & Amphoux 1801, produced by the French card maker Yves Reynaud listed below.

Tarot de Marseille Convos

Llewellyn.com:
https://www.llewellyn.com/browse_category.php?start=0&sort_by=&product_category_id=232

Universal Tarot de Marseille

Tarot de Marseille

Tarot de Marseille Mini

Artisan Tarot https://artisantarot.com/

Unique and whimsical decks:

Marseille Cat Tarot

Squid Cake Marseille

The Rider-Marseille Tarot Deck

Where to purchase decks in Europe

https://tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/

Yves Reynaud of Marseille makes facsimiles of historic Tarot de Marseille decks he finds in museums. The production quality and price are designed for the average card reader.

https://www.facebook.com/Marco.C.Benedetti.Tarot

Marco Benedetti of Rome has a Facebook page—no website. Handcrafted decks at reasonable prices. Pierre Madenié 1709 is a favorite.

 

 

Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast

Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista

Sign up for readings and explore books and classes!
thetarotpodcast.com

Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)

In this week’s Tarot Podcast episode, we welcome back goth tarot queen Laetitia Barbier to boldly engage! in a special kind of divination devised by Laetitia herself: ARTOMANCY!.  Together, Laeti and I do an on-the-spot artomancy reading on a listener-submitted question. If the technique intrigues you, you can book your own custom artomancy reading with Laetitia at her website! (Links below).

 

For our bonus content this week, check out my final conversation with Laetitia , on the question of whether tarot art is inherently magical. You can check that out by becoming a paid Patreon member, thereby unlocking all our bonus content, the chance to submit a question when we have guest readings, and countless other perks! https://patreon.com/thetarotpodcast/membership.

 

French-born Laetitia Barbier is an independent scholar, as well as a professional tarot reader and teacher. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Art History from La Sorbonne University Paris in 2009. Laetitia has worked with Morbid Anatomy from 2012 to 2024 as a programming director, head librarian, and occasional curator. Her book Tarot and Divination Cards: A Visual Archive was published in 2021 with a foreword by Rachel Pollack. Along with her friend Lou Benesch, she’s the co-creator of the Camena Tarot. As a writer and scholar, she has the privilege of collaborating with the iconic French maître-cartier Grimaud, notably on the exquisite re-release of their 1930s Tarot de Marseille and Belline Oracle.

Laetitia has lectured, taught and read cards for various cultural institutions, such as Greenwood Cemetery, Artyard,  Fotografiska NY, the College of Psychic Studies in London or the New York Public Library. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

 

Book your own custom Artomancy session! https://www.laetitiacartomancy.com/tarot-sessions/p/artomancy-using-art-as-a-mantic-tool-special-reading-session

Explore Laetitia’s events, readings, and classes: https://laetitiacartomancy.com

Join Laetitia’s Patreon community
https://www.laetitiacartomancy.com/patreon

 

 

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Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast

Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista

Sign up for readings and explore books and classes!
thetarotpodcast.com

Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)

In this week’s Try This at Home! segment, host T. Susan shares a powerful technique for reliably getting answers from your cards. Learn it in 5 seconds, apply it in 5 minutes, and enjoy the benefits for the rest of your life as a tarot reader!

Give ‘priming the pump’ a try the next time you read for yourself or someone else—and let me know how it worked for you! Write to me on the Tarot Podcast Discord server or dm me on Patreon if you’re a Patreon member. Or, you can reach me through the contact form at thetarotpodcast.com.
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Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast

Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista

Sign up for readings and explore books and classes!
thetarotpodcast.com

Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)

Not everyone, believe it or not, falls in love with the cards at first sight! In fact, many of us experience a light shudder, even a hint of fear! upon our first encounter with tarot. What’s up with that? What’s the reasoning behind tarot-phobia? My wise and witty editor, Barbara Moore, shares her thoughts on the subject in this week’s episode.

Barbara Moore (Saint Paul, MN) has been in love with tarot for over thirty-five years. She has shuffled her cards and taught tarot all over the world. Now she embraces her Hermit self by writing books and creating decks. Her Steampunk Tarot, Good Fortune Tarot, and Trick or Treat Tarot are among her favorites.

Links for this episode:

Barbara’s website: https://barbaramooretarot.weebly.com/

Barbara’s author page at Llewellyn: https://www.llewellyn.com/author.php?author_id=3396

…and just a few of Barbara’s many works:

The Good Fortune Tarot (2024): https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738772639

The Steampunk Tarot (2012): https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738726380

Tarot for Beginners (2010) https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738719559

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Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast

Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista

Sign up for readings and explore books and classes!
thetarotpodcast.com

Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)