Similarities between Old English and Druidcraft Tarots?

[brenmck]

I just saw a reading posted using the Old English Tarot and immediately had to have this deck. Ordering it I noticed a combined offer with a book on the Druidcraft Tarot, which leads me to believe they are related or one is derivative of the other.

Are they of the same kind of origins, or am I reading too much into this combined package?

Thanks for your help.

~B~

 

[Dwaas]

hi brenmck,

I don't know anything about the Druidcraft, I don't own it but it seems to me that it origens from druidstories and pictures. I am sure that the druid-addicts at this forums can tell us much more about that.

The Old English Tarot by Maggie Kneen was inspired by the illuminated Luttrell Psalter, a guiding book from the medieval Luttrell family with wonderful illustrations about life in the middle ages. As you may have noticed the Old English Tarot seems to be a deck with pips but also miniature pictures appear on the floor of the card. These pictures may be confusing because they seem not to correspond with RWCS meanings or any other known meanings at all.
AT member Shalott has done a study for the Old English and she came with really very interesting information on these illustrations.
Her website:
http://home.earthlink.net/~e.ishmael/index.html
Her works on the Old English:
http://home.earthlink.net/~e.ishmael/oldenglishtarot/

Blessings

 

[Dwaas]

BTW congrats on your purchase! You will not regret it, the Old English is the best of my "non-scary" decks. It has no esoteric illustrations, no references to astrology or kabalah, it is just plain tarot. In a friendly way it tells the truth, no matter what that may be. And of course you can always apply eventual knowledge of astrology etc on these cards as well once you know them from for example the Thoth deck. Especially when you read for people who seem to shy away for scary devil- tower- and death cards this deck is excellent to pull. It's eyecandy so it does not shout it's messages. It whispers them (imagine, even more scary I say hahaha )

 

[brenmck]

Dwaas -

Thanks for the background, and for the website too - very helpful.
I don't know why these medieval decks appeal to me so much (time for a past-life spread?) but I can't resist them.

The artwork of the Old English is not very similar to the Druidcraft, but the symbolism and background must have some connections. I could be wrong about that too, but it sure is fun finding out!

~B~

 

[brenmck]

BTW congrats on your purchase! You will not regret it, the Old English is the best of my "non-scary" decks. It has no esoteric illustrations, no references to astrology or kabalah, it is just plain tarot. In a friendly way it tells the truth, no matter what that may be. And of course you can always apply eventual knowledge of astrology etc on these cards as well once you know them from for example the Thoth deck. Especially when you read for people who seem to shy away for scary devil- tower- and death cards this deck is excellent to pull. It's eyecandy so it does not shout it's messages. It whispers them (imagine, even more scary I say hahaha )

What you're saying here hooks me even more on this deck - glad I went ahead and bought it first, then started asking questions! And I agree - Tarot cards don't need to "shout" - we listen closer when one is whispering. And I have to have "eye candy" art work - that's why I like these medieval decks so much, and why I love the Golden, for example. I have a couple more esoteric decks and do like them, but sometimes I need this simplicity and earthiness.

~B~

 

[magpie9]

I've noticed the "better with" deals on amazon, and it seems to me that the matching is done kind of randomly within the catagory tarot. I have both decks, and don't see any particular connection between them other than lovely art and just plain tarot. I guess northern europe/british isles is a connection too!
They're both wonderful decks.

 

[seule]

I think the connection between the two on amazon is likely just to be general subject matter - tarot decks! My books are often paired on the amazon uk site with ones in the same subject area for a special offer, but there's no real similarity of concept or presentation between the actual books at all. Just a thought.
Both the decks you mention are high on my wish-list
bbb seule

 

[Sophie]

Apart from the fact that both are English, I see little or no connection between these two decks (both of which I like, btw). The DruidCraft is set in some mythical Celtic setting, outside of history, though probably around the time the Romans invaded; it is self-consiously pagan and incorporates Druidry and Golden Dawn magic. The Old English is Medieval in theme and as Dwaas wrote, inspired by the beautiful Luttrell Psalter, and therefore Christian in inspiration, although of course there were rich pagan survivances in Christian England.

The look of these two decks is quite different, too; the Old English has non-scenic suit cards, which work better without the RWS-meanings (in fact, reading with it, as with all non-scenic pip cards, gives a very different reading experience from those with scenic cards, like the DruidCraft).

I think grouping the Old English with the DC book was just a marketing ploy.

 

[NightWing]

Vive la Difference!

I have to agree with Helvetica on the "marketing ploy".

I have both of these decks, like them both, but other than a link in terms of having British cultural roots, I see nothing in common between them. Conceptually and artistically, these decks are quite different.

They are both lovely decks, but I use them at different times, in different moods, and for different purposes.

Holy Sophia; we give thanks for diversity!

 

[Nydia]

Ok, I've added the Old English Tarot to my want list here at home! That's a nice website where all the cards are shown.