NEW DISCOVERY IN ANCIENT TAROT!
April 1st, 2026
Over the last decade or so there has been a renewed interest in the pre-Rider Waite Tarot’s of France and Italy and older cartomantic styles of reading. One of the major differences being a lack of overtly occult symbolism on more ancient decks. Syncretism with systems like Kabbalah, Astrology, and even Runes and I-Ching are thought to be modern innovations stemming from the 19th century French Revival and early 20th century Golden Dawn influence.
NO LONGER!
A recent discovery in San Damiano d’Asti Italy, just 55 kilometers from Turin, a well known center of early Tarot production, has turned the world of Tarot on its head. A Deck dating back to 1493 appears to exactly resemble the Haindl Tarot!
If the dating is correct this would place its production slightly after the Visconti-Sforza decks produced in Milan but roughly the same time as the Sola Busca Tarot produced in Ferrara.
The Heindl Tarot is of course known for its wild syncretism incorporating Hebrew letters, Runes, Ogham, and I-Ching right on the front of the card, not to mention drawing heavily on different cultures including Celtic, Norse, Hindu, and Native American religion. This is particularly remarkable because if the dating is correct this deck would have been produced roughly around the same time that Columbus first set foot in the Americas.
The deck was discovered by Dirk Johnson who recently took advantage of a development program that allowed him to purchase the home near Asti for just 1 Euro. Mr. Johnson was quoted as saying “I don’t know anything about tarot cards, but if this is worth some money that would be great. The renovation costs a lot more than what I thought it would.”
The deck was moved to the Pinacoteca de Brera in Milan where it can be compared with the Sola Busca Tarot as well as Piemontese decks from the era.
It is believed that Il Meneghello is already hard at work on producing a high quality hand-painted replica.
Not since the discovery of the lost Enochian Manuscripts has esoteric research been so upended!
To learn more about this amazing discoveryclick here.