Post by THE GREAT OZ on Oct 11, 2011 22:23:49 GMT
Well with Halloween right around the corner I thought I would preview my newest addition to my Tarot deck collection. It is a collector's item as it is only reproduced now but the original cards as shown below are by Monica Knighten. I got them from Amazon and got a great screaming deal to boot as it was only nine dollars in US currency which is a lot better than the over fifty dollars on other sites. They are not easy to find at a price like that so I suppose I was meant to find them.
They are somewhat of a humorous deck based on the Day of the Dead which is practiced by the Hispanic culture.
The following review by Bonnie Cehovet says it better than I.
Tarot of the Dead takes a rather unique look at death - through the eyes of the Mexican celebration of the "Day of the Dead", or "Dio de los Muertos". This is a day for honoring family and friends who have passed on. It is a time for remembrance, as well as a time for placing flowers in cemeteries and homes as a sign of respect. Offerings of food, clothing and other things that the person enjoyed in life are placed on tables as a gift to the departed ones. According to the LWB (Little White Book) that comes with this deck, it is also thought that the veil between the worlds is lifted at this time, and that the dead can return to reconnect with family and friends (very similar to how some people view All Hallows Eve/Halloween).
Strange to say about a deck that touts death - but this is an interesting, even amusing work - more than a collectors deck, it is a deck that can be used in many ways - for meditation, ritual and/or ceremony, as well as for readings. The artwork is line drawing, filled in with pastel colors (not the deep, somber black and white one might expect from a deck dealing with death).
The backs of the cards show a background in a multi-colored diamond pattern, with two skulls, done in white, set end to end, so that it cannot be determined if the card is reversed or not. Two single roses are set between the skulls - pointing to the upper right hand and lower left hand corners. There is a 1/4" white border around the edge of the card.
The face of the card shows the same 1/4" white border. The Major Arcana show the number of the card, as well as the name (in both English and Spanish) at the bottom. The number is also placed within the card at the top, and the title is placed within the card at the bottom. The background for the suits is color coded: green for Coffins, yellow for Reels, beige for Pistols and blue for Pens. Pips show the number in the upper left hand corner within the card, as well as the number and suit across the bottom of the card (in both English and Spanish). The Pips are not illustrated, except with the suit symbols, and they are reversible - with the upright version showing one view, and the reversed version showing a different view. (This can be amusing - especially with the) The court cards show the initial for the card title in the upper left hand corner within the card (i.e. "Q" for Queen), and the title and suit at the bottom of the card (in both English and Spanish). The one problem that I had with the court cards is t hat the letter in the upper left hand corner for the Knight was not clear.
SOURCE
A very interesting deck. I have not used it and may not since it is a collectible. But it is a fun deck to add to my growing cards.
Bless...OZ
They are somewhat of a humorous deck based on the Day of the Dead which is practiced by the Hispanic culture.
The following review by Bonnie Cehovet says it better than I.
Tarot of the Dead takes a rather unique look at death - through the eyes of the Mexican celebration of the "Day of the Dead", or "Dio de los Muertos". This is a day for honoring family and friends who have passed on. It is a time for remembrance, as well as a time for placing flowers in cemeteries and homes as a sign of respect. Offerings of food, clothing and other things that the person enjoyed in life are placed on tables as a gift to the departed ones. According to the LWB (Little White Book) that comes with this deck, it is also thought that the veil between the worlds is lifted at this time, and that the dead can return to reconnect with family and friends (very similar to how some people view All Hallows Eve/Halloween).
Strange to say about a deck that touts death - but this is an interesting, even amusing work - more than a collectors deck, it is a deck that can be used in many ways - for meditation, ritual and/or ceremony, as well as for readings. The artwork is line drawing, filled in with pastel colors (not the deep, somber black and white one might expect from a deck dealing with death).
The backs of the cards show a background in a multi-colored diamond pattern, with two skulls, done in white, set end to end, so that it cannot be determined if the card is reversed or not. Two single roses are set between the skulls - pointing to the upper right hand and lower left hand corners. There is a 1/4" white border around the edge of the card.
The face of the card shows the same 1/4" white border. The Major Arcana show the number of the card, as well as the name (in both English and Spanish) at the bottom. The number is also placed within the card at the top, and the title is placed within the card at the bottom. The background for the suits is color coded: green for Coffins, yellow for Reels, beige for Pistols and blue for Pens. Pips show the number in the upper left hand corner within the card, as well as the number and suit across the bottom of the card (in both English and Spanish). The Pips are not illustrated, except with the suit symbols, and they are reversible - with the upright version showing one view, and the reversed version showing a different view. (This can be amusing - especially with the) The court cards show the initial for the card title in the upper left hand corner within the card (i.e. "Q" for Queen), and the title and suit at the bottom of the card (in both English and Spanish). The one problem that I had with the court cards is t hat the letter in the upper left hand corner for the Knight was not clear.
A very interesting deck. I have not used it and may not since it is a collectible. But it is a fun deck to add to my growing cards.
Bless...OZ