The Marseille Tarot as a name does not refer to any specific deck of cards, but rather is a model, a type of predictive system. At the end of the 17th century, this type of map, with rare exceptions (for example, the neoclassical version from Lombardy), was the most common in Europe.

With the manifestation of interest in the Tarot on the part of occultists and members of Masonic orders, the symbolism of the Marseille Tarot was somewhat modified and received a predictive meaning. At this time, the visual range of the Tarot was significantly influenced by French cultural traditions, visible through the costume and everyday attributes of the card characters. A big role in this was played by the fact that the largest cartographic firms were concentrated in Marseille. These firms prospered because they produced tarots of very high quality and were able to export them at extremely low prices, which Italian manufacturers could not compete with. It is logical that the name “Marseille Tarot” has become synonymous with the quality and entire topology of fortune-telling cards of this type.

Currently, the Marseille Tarot, regardless of the place of its manufacture, be it France or Italy, is used both for games and for predictions.