The Rider-Waite tarot (also called Rider-Waite-Smith or Waite-Smith) is a 78-card tarot deck first published in 1909. It was conceived by mystic A. E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, and published by the Rider company in London. It is the most widely used and influential tarot deck in the world—and the standard reference for modern card meanings.
If you’ve ever looked up a tarot meaning online, you were almost certainly reading the Rider-Waite system. Its great innovation was illustrating every card—including the numbered Minor Arcana—with a descriptive scene, instead of plain suit symbols. That made the cards readable at a glance and set the template nearly all later decks follow.
The 78 Rider-Waite Cards
A full Rider-Waite deck contains 78 cards in two groups:
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A Short History
A. E. Waite, a scholar and member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, designed the deck’s symbolism, while artist Pamela Colman Smith—also a Golden Dawn member—painted all 78 cards. It was published in 1909 by William Rider & Son of London. For decades Smith received little credit; today the deck is often called Rider-Waite-Smith in recognition of her work.
Types of Tarot Decks
Rider-Waite is the most common deck, but it isn’t the only tradition:
| Deck |
Era |
What sets it apart |
| Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) |
1909 |
The most popular and influential tarot deck. Its fully illustrated scenes—even on the numbered Minor Arcana—made card meanings easy to read and became the standard for most modern decks. |
| Tarot de Marseille |
17th-18th c. |
One of the oldest standardized patterns. The Minor Arcana are non-scenic (pip cards show only suit symbols), so readings lean more on numerology and intuition. |
| Thoth Tarot |
1969 |
Created by Aleister Crowley and painted by Lady Frieda Harris. Rich in astrological, kabbalistic, and esoteric symbolism, with renamed court cards (Knight, Queen, Prince, Princess). |
| Oracle decks |
varies |
Not true tarot—oracle decks have no fixed 78-card structure or suits. Each deck sets its own number of cards and themes, used alongside or instead of tarot. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Rider-Waite tarot deck?
The Rider-Waite tarot (also called Rider-Waite-Smith or Waite-Smith) is a 78-card tarot deck first published in 1909. It was conceived by mystic A. E. Waite and illustrated by artist Pamela Colman Smith, and published by the Rider company in London. It is the most widely used tarot deck in the world.
Who created the Rider-Waite tarot?
The deck was designed by A. E. Waite, a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. Because of Smith's central artistic role, it is increasingly called the Rider-Waite-Smith or Waite-Smith deck.
How many cards are in a tarot deck?
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana are split into four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles) of 14 cards each, including four court cards per suit.
What makes the Rider-Waite deck special?
It was the first widely published deck to fully illustrate the Minor Arcana with descriptive scenes rather than plain suit symbols. This made the cards far easier to interpret and is why most modern tarot decks follow its imagery and meanings.
What are the different types of tarot decks?
The main traditions are the Rider-Waite-Smith (1909), the older Tarot de Marseille, and the esoteric Thoth deck (1969). Oracle decks are a separate category with no fixed 78-card structure.
Keep exploring: Major Arcana · Minor Arcana · Reversed Cards · Tarot Numerology.
