Four of Wands
The Four of Wands is the fourth numeral card of the Wands suit, associated with the element Fire. It marks a milestone of celebration and stability, reached after the suit's earlier stages.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-18
Historical fact
In decks predating the Rider-Waite-Smith, the Four of Wands was represented by only four wands arranged with no scene. The now-standard illustration — two figures celebrating beneath a floral garland strung between four wands, with a castle in the background — was created by Pamela Colman Smith and published in 1909, becoming the reference design adopted by most modern decks.
Interpretation — Rider-Waite-Smith / Golden Dawn
In the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, this card is titled 'Completion.' It represents celebration, harmony, and reaching an important milestone — traditionally associated with weddings, harvest festivals, and community gatherings. Reversed, it can indicate a postponed celebration, domestic instability, or a transition still incomplete.
Interpretation — Thoth (Aleister Crowley)
In the Thoth deck, the card is also titled 'Completion' and associated with Venus in Aries — Fire's energy finding harmony and stable structure after the suit's earlier stages. It represents the consolidation of a solid foundation before new challenges.
This section presents one tradition's interpretation, not a verifiable fact.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the Four of Wands mean in Tarot?
- In the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, titled 'Completion,' it represents celebration, harmony, and reaching an important milestone, such as a wedding or a community gathering. In the Thoth deck, associated with Venus in Aries, it is read as Fire's energy finding stable structure.
- Does the meaning of the number 4 repeat across the other suits?
- Broadly, yes. In the Rider-Waite-Smith / Golden Dawn tradition, each number from 2 to 10 carries a wide theme across all four suits, expressed differently according to each suit's element (Fire in Wands, Water in Cups, Air in Swords, Earth in Pentacles), reflecting the system's origin in Golden Dawn teachings.
- Was this card illustrated differently before 1909?
- Yes. Before the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, this card showed only four wands, without the celebration scene beneath the floral garland — that illustration is Pamela Colman Smith's creation.
Sources
- Michael Dummett. The Game of Tarot: From Ferrara to Salt Lake City (1980).
- Arthur Edward Waite. The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910).
- Aleister Crowley. The Book of Thoth (1944).
- Stuart R. Kaplan. The Encyclopedia of Tarot (1978).