Cups

Definition

The suit of Cups (or Chalices, Hearts) in the tarot Minor Arcana, associated with the element of water, emotion, relationships, intuition and the unconscious.

Origin

Cups (coppe) descend directly from the Mamluk suit of cups (kāsāt), arriving in Europe via Spain and Italy in the late 14th century. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn formalised the cups/water/feeling correspondence in the 1880s.

Development

In French-suited decks, Cups became Hearts — the suit's emotional symbolism survived the visual change. Modern tarot decks vary the depicted vessel (chalice, goblet, basin) but retain the elemental and psychological meaning unchanged.

In Practice

Cups cards address love, family, friendship, creative emotional life and intuitive perception. The Ace of Cups marks new emotional openings; the 5 of Cups grief and disappointment; the 10 of Cups domestic fulfilment.

Deeper Reading

The suit mirrors the Jungian feeling function — judgement based on value and connection rather than logic. Cups-heavy readings invite the querent into the emotional layer of a question, sometimes despite their preference for a "practical" answer.

See Also

• Chalices
• Hearts
• Goblets
• Copas