Cartomancy is a form of
fortune-telling or divination using a deck of
cards. The practice of cartomancy has been observed
since playing cards first came into use in Europe
in the 14th century.
Practitioners of
cartomancy are generally known as cartomancers,
card readers or, simply, readers. Some
practitioners have claimed that cartomancy's
origins date back to ancient Egyptian times, the
art being derived from wisdom given to the ancient
Egyptians by the scribe-god Thoth, although this
belief is by no means common today.
According to some
traditions, a deck that is used for cartomancy
should not be used for any other purpose.
Cartomancers generally feel that the deck should be
treated as a tool and cared for accordingly. Some
cartomancers also feel that the cards should never
be touched by anyone other than their
owner.