Cards and signs
Zodiac signs tarot cards
The tarot card of each zodiac sign in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn system, plus the cards of the planets and elements and the suits of the Minor Arcana.
| Sign | Major Arcana card | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Aries | The Emperor | Fire |
| Taurus | The Hierophant | Earth |
| Gemini | The Lovers | Air |
| Cancer | The Chariot | Water |
| Leo | Strength | Fire |
| Virgo | The Hermit | Earth |
| Libra | Justice | Air |
| Scorpio | Death | Water |
| Sagittarius | Temperance | Fire |
| Capricorn | The Devil | Earth |
| Aquarius | The Star | Air |
| Pisces | The Moon | Water |
Where these attributions come from
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a British occult society founded in 1888, matched the 22 Major Arcana cards with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and, through them, with the twelve signs, seven classical planets and three elements. The Rider–Waite–Smith deck (1909) and Aleister Crowley’s Thoth deck both follow this system, which is why it is the most common today. Crowley swapped the Emperor and the Star in his own deck.
Planets and elements
| Planet or element | Card |
|---|---|
| Sun | The Sun |
| Moon | The High Priestess |
| Mercury | The Magician |
| Venus | The Empress |
| Mars | The Tower |
| Jupiter | Wheel of Fortune |
| Saturn | The World |
| Air | The Fool |
| Water | The Hanged Man |
| Fire | Judgement |
| Earth | The World (shared with Saturn) |
In the same system The Fool, often asked about, belongs to the element air; some modern readers link it with Uranus.
The Minor Arcana suits
| Suit | Element | Signs |
|---|---|---|
| Wands | Fire | Aries, Leo, Sagittarius |
| Cups | Water | Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces |
| Swords | Air | Gemini, Libra, Aquarius |
| Pentacles | Earth | Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn |
The Golden Dawn also assigned the numbered cards 2 to 10 to the 36 decans (10° sections) of the signs.
Frequently asked questions
What tarot card is Scorpio?
Death (XIII), a card traditionally read as transformation rather than literal death.
What zodiac sign is The Fool?
None: The Fool is assigned to the element air in the Golden Dawn system.
Sources
Updated · How we write and check this guide