Scales in tarot
The scales of judgement go back to the Egyptian weighing of the heart after death and to the archangel Michael weighing souls in medieval Last Judgements. In Renaissance personifications of Justice they balance the sword. Justice holds them in her left hand, level and still, and the giver in the Six of Pentacles holds a small pair while handing coins to beggars. The constellation and sign Libra are scales too. In readings they mean fairness, measured decisions and consequences. On the Six of Pentacles they also raise the question of who decides what each person deserves.
Cards that show scales
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Justice
Justice: The scales
The golden scales hang from the other hand, lowered beside the throne and level. Scales are the oldest emblem of weighing evidence, and on this card they sit beside the sword as its partner: no judgement without weighing first.
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Six of Pentacles
Six of Pentacles: The scales
He holds a small pair of balance scales level in his left hand. Scales are the classic emblem of fairness and judgement, the same device carried by Justice, and here they suggest that his giving is measured, deliberate and fair.