Cartomancy is a form of fortune-telling or divination using a deck of ordinary playing cards. The practise of cartomancy has been observed since playing cards first came into use in Europe in the 14th century, with some practitioners (known as cartomancers) claiming its origins date back to Egyptian times, the art being derived from wisdom given to the ancient Egyptians by the scribe-god Thoth.
MODERN PLAYING CARDS
As modern playing cards evolved from the tarot deck, it is not surprising that they are used to predict the future. The 52 playing cards in a standard deck are derived from the tarot's minor arcana; four court cards - the knights have been dropped. The only remaining card left from the major arcana of the tarot is the Fool.