Old English Tarot Deck

by
~*~Velvet Angel ~*~
Old English Tarot

~*~ This deck is suitable for any question you wish to ask of the Tarot. ~*~

Deck by Maggie Kneen

The theme of the Old English Tarot is medieval England. The cards show scenes of everyday life in the farms, villages, and waterways of the era. People are portrayed in traditional medieval clothing. This is a modern deck that gives the feeling of an "old-time" classical deck . . . it feels both new and old at the same time.

Inspired by her love of old Tarot decks, Maggie Kneen based this Tarot deck on 14th Century English manuscripts which have been used throughout centuries to illustrate school history books in England. These manuscripts were called "Luttrell Psalter." These medieval English manuscripts in the British museum were written for Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, a wealthy landowner of the 14th century. Detailed images from the Luttrell Psalter included scenes of peasant life, religious scenes, and fantastic mythical creatures. These manuscripts offered her a visual source of reference for the everyday things of life in medieval England . . . such as musical instruments, form of transportation, the fashions and footwear of the era, furnishings, pastimes, and so on. Certainly lifestyles then were quite different from what we know and experience today.

From the Little White Book, artist Maggie Kneen says,

"From the medieval age to the present day, uncertainty about life has led people to seek guidance in one form or another. The Tarot is a guide to the possibilities and main events of our lives, but we must fill in the detail of that framework ourselves, and make our lives as rich in wisdom, love, and experience as we can."
"Focus on the present moment both your knowledge of the past and your hopes for the future. By doing so, you may create the future you truly want."

I think she sums up very well what Tarot is all about, and it is so true that we can all create the futures we really want by looking at the experience and knowledge we have gained from past events and also looking at hopes and dreams we have for the future. This is why some readings do have cards to represent the past. Some people tend to say, "Why do I need cards about the past? I know what has happened already." Ahhh . . . but do you really understand it all? Do you understand the lessons from the past and how to use this to your advantage? That's an important point to ask yourself.

The soft, gentle colors used in this set of cards offer a tranquil tone for the deck. The images and backgrounds chosen seem very appropriate for the Old English theme of the cards. This is a nice deck for anyone wanting an "old-time" Tarot deck with a modern approach . . . or for anyone who has an interest in medieval England.

Some call this a "cute" deck . . . but I think it goes beyond that and is more deserving than simply being called "cute." I would prefer to say it's a pretty deck that is quite pleasant and fun to work with.

Number of Cards in Deck: 78 cards (22 Major/56 Minor)

Size of Cards: 2-3/4" x 4-3/4"
Standard sized cards; Flexible cardstock; Shuffles easily.

Included with deck: LWB (Little White Book)

Major Arcana:
Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant,
Lovers, Chariot, Strength, Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice,
Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon,
Sun, Judgement, World

Suit Names:
Cups, Batons (Wands), Swords, Coins (Pentacles)

Court Cards: (Traditional titles are noted in parenthesis.)
King, Queen, Knight, Knave (Page)

Back Design of Cards: [picture of back design]

OLD ENGLISH TAROT
This Tarot Deck and Book Set is Available from Amazon.com: