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The Original Petit Etteilla: A Cartomancer's Guide to Divination — Tarot Divination

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The Original Petit Etteilla: A Cartomancer's Guide to Divination

Name: The Original Petit Etteilla: A Cartomancer's Guide to Divination
Brand: Destiny Books
Price: 35.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9798888503010

✍️ Caitlín Matthews, Rebecca Birrell

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$35.00 ~~$46.00~~ Save $11.00 (23%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This essential volume finally presents Jean-Baptiste Alliette's (Etteilla) groundbreaking 1770 manual in its first English translation. Accompanied by a Petit Etteilla deck and guidance on crafting your own, it meticulously details his original methods for interpreting playing cards. Explore eight foundational spreads, complete with variations and insightful case studies, directly from the master. Discover how Etteilla's innovative system laid the groundwork for European cartomancy, profoundly influencing later iconic decks such as the Lenormand and even the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, making it indispensable for any serious diviner.

Matthews, Caitlín; , Birrell, Rebecca

🃏

Tarot & Divination

Praise for this book

“The Original Petit Etteilla is a wonderfully presented and approachable introduction to a historic card-reading system. The 'Framing Your Question' chapter is especially helpful, setting the tone for meaningful readings. The clear explanations and charming artwork make it easy to learn and a joy to use. I highly recommend this card deck to anyone looking to broaden their cartomancy practice.”

— Jen Sankey, author of Enchanted Forest Felines Tarot and Manifesting by the Moon

🏛 Destiny Books 📅 2026 📖 352 pages ISBN: 9798888503010

Fun Fact

This meticulously translated edition is an absolute treasure for anyone serious about the history and practice of card divination. It brilliantly demystifies Etteilla's foundational work, offering both scholarly insight and practical application with the included deck. While those seeking only modern, intuitive tarot might find its structured approach less immediately familiar, it's an indispensable bridge connecting playing cards to modern oracle systems. This volume firmly establishes itself as an essential reference in any comprehensive esoteric library.

📝 Description: The Original Petit Etteilla: A Cartomancer's Guide to Divination

Learn foundational methods of divination from the Father of Cartomancy - Provides the first English edition of Etteilla's seminal text, an Etteilla deck, and a tutorial on how to make your own deck - Offers eight main spreads along with variations, devised by Etteilla, and accompanying commentary and case studies - Shares how Etteilla's 1770 method set the standard for most European cartomantic divination, influencing the development of both cartomancy and tarot Etteilla is the pseudonym of Jean Baptiste Alliette, known to divination devotees as the Father of Cartomancy. His 1770 manual, revised in 1773 under the title La Seule Manière de Tirer Les Cartes, was the first book on how to divine from playing cards, and it remains the basis for many cartomantic decks and tarots today. Now, for the first time, Etteilla's manual is available in English. This deck and guidebook gives readers a set of Petit Etteilla cards and a fully annotated translation of his text. The book explores how Etteilla's deck and interpretive methods serve as the foundation for decks to follow, including the Lenormand and Rider-Waite-Smith decks. Readers will learn each card's meaning (both upright and reversed) and the significance of each card's placement in a spread. In Etteilla's system, each card's meaning and associated words are printed on the card, allowing readers the freedom to use intuition instead of memorizing the meaning of each card. The result is an innovative system that offers a highly personalized method for readings. Readers will also learn how to make their own decks to further personalize their connection with Etteilla's method. This book offers eight spreads devised by Etteilla, with variations of each, along with commentary, case studies, and practices to enrich your understanding.

📑 What's inside

Preface
PART 1Etteilla and His Cartomancy
Preliminary Lesson: Welcome to
The Original Petit Etteilla
Lesson 1: The Art of Cartomancy
Lesson 2: Framing Your Question
Lesson 3: Making Your Own Petit Etteilla Cards
PART 2The Petit Etteilla Meanings
Lesson 4: The Upright and Reversed Forenames
Lesson 5: The Upright and Reversed Surnames
Lesson 6: Meeting Cards
Lesson 7: Upright and Reversed Multiples
Lesson 8: Combining the Cards
Lesson 9: Petit Etteilla Meanings by Card Sequence
Lesson 10: Suit of Diamonds
Lesson 11: Suit of Hearts
Lesson 12: Suit of Spades
Lesson 13: Suit of Clubs
Lesson 14: Meeting Cards Revisited
Lesson 15: Etteilla Proximity Meanings
Lesson 16: Multiples
PART 3Reading and Calculating
Lesson 17: Pairing the Cards
Lesson 18: Pairs as the Basis of Reading
Lesson 19: Mute Cards
Lesson 20: Timing and Numbers
Lesson 21: Timing in Petit Etteilla
PART 4Etteilla's Spreads
Lesson 22: A White Spread of Twelve
Lesson 23: A Second (Peopled) Spread of Twelve
Lesson 24: A Spread of Twenty-Seven
Lesson 25: Etteilla's Spread
Lesson 26: Wheel of Fortune Spread
Lesson 27: Dovetail Spread
Lesson 28: Spread of Fifteen
Lesson 29: Horoscope Spread
Lesson 30: Write to the Author
Lesson 31: Performing Successful Readings
Afterword
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Key to Answers
Index
About the Authors

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Caitlín Matthews and Rebecca Birrell have delivered a vital scholarly and practical contribution by translating Etteilla’s work for the first time. This book is essential for historians and serious practitioners wanting to trace the direct lineage of European cartomancy. However, it does not suit readers seeking quick, simplified answers or those uninterested in historical context, as the text demands engagement with eighteenth-century methodologies. It may also disappoint those looking for a standalone deck without the accompanying guide, as the value lies in the synthesis of translation and instruction. Ultimately, it is a dense, rewarding resource for dedicated scholars rather than casual hobbyists.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Serious diviners and historians will find immense value in this groundbreaking volume, which offers the first English translation of Jean-Baptiste Alliette’s seminal 1770 manual. It is ideal for those seeking to understand the roots of modern card reading, providing not just theory but practical guidance on crafting your own deck and mastering eight foundational spreads. Readers who appreciate deep historical context alongside actionable technique will gain a profound appreciation for how Etteilla’s system influenced iconic decks like Lenormand and Rider-Waite-Smith. It is an indispensable resource for anyone wishing to move beyond surface-level interpretations and engage directly with the master of cartomancy, ensuring a richer, more informed practice grounded in historical authenticity and original insight.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're a serious student of divination history, a cartomancy enthusiast, or a tarot reader eager to understand the deep roots of your practice, this book is essential. It offers a direct link to the foundational texts that shaped modern card reading.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Caitlín Matthews and Rebecca Birrell have delivered a vital scholarly and practical contribution by translating Etteilla’s work for the first time. This book is essential for historians and serious practitioners wanting to trace the direct lineage of European cartomancy. However, it does not suit readers seeking quick, simplified answers or those uninterested in historical context, as the text demands engagement with eighteenth-century methodologies. It may also disappoint those looking for a standalone deck without the accompanying guide, as the value lies in the synthesis of translation and instruction. Ultimately, it is a dense, rewarding resource for dedicated scholars rather than casual hobbyists.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Yes, this edition comes complete with a Petit Etteilla deck, allowing you to immediately apply the methods taught within the book.

Etteilla's methods are considered a direct precursor and foundational influence for many modern cartomancy and tarot systems, including the Lenormand and even elements of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Foundational Divination Methods

Delve into Etteilla's authentic techniques for reading playing cards, understanding the meanings of each card in both upright and reversed positions. This text offers a direct portal to the earliest structured cartomantic system, providing a robust framework for divination practitioners.

Historical Cartomancy's Evolution

Explore how Etteilla's pioneering 1770 work became the cornerstone for future card-based divinatory practices across Europe. The book illuminates his profound impact on the development of subsequent oracle systems, including the popular Lenormand and even the iconic Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot.

Practical Card Interpretation

Beyond historical context, this guide equips you with practical tools for immediate application. It includes a Petit Etteilla deck, instructions for self-creation, and detailed explanations of Etteilla's eight core spreads, ensuring you can apply his methods directly to your own readings.

📜 Historical context

Etteilla's 1770 manual marks a pivotal moment in occult history, predating most widely recognized tarot systems. His work established cartomancy as a legitimate divinatory art, moving it beyond mere fortune-telling games and influencing the structured interpretations that would define the next two centuries of card reading in the Western esoteric tradition.

📚 Glossary

Cartomancy
Etteilla
Divination

📔 Questions to reflect on

Reflect on how understanding the historical roots of cartomancy, as presented by Etteilla, might deepen your personal connection to modern card reading practices.
Consider a current personal challenge. How might applying one of Etteilla's original eight spreads offer a unique perspective compared to spreads you typically use?
Etteilla assigned specific upright and reversed meanings. How does this structured approach compare to more intuitive or 'storytelling' methods of interpretation you may be familiar with?