karenquilter
In the Crystal Tarots, the Swords are associated with water, unlike the majority of decks where they are associated with air. The swords have slightly differences, but most are yellow, red, and orange tones on a blue/green background.
The Ace of Swords has a hand reaching out from the left side, in the air, holding the sword pointing straight down into water. There is a vertical crescent on each side of the hand, with the points touching the sides of the card. The guard on the sword is formed of two crescents, the larger one curving around the hand, and the smaller in opposition to it, curving towards the sword point. The sword is sticking into the sea, and a crab on the sandy sea floor is looking at it. There are also two snails on the sand.
The 2 of Swords has dark, windy sky above, and lighter water in the lower half of the card, with lightning reflected in the water. Two swords are superimposed over this backdrop. the one on the left has the handle touching the top border, and angling down, towards the lower left corner. The sword on the right has the handle touching the right side of the card, and angles up to point towards the top center of the card.
The 3 of Swords has a triangle. The base sword has the handle to the right, the other two point to the apex, with is centered, about a third down from the top of the card. In the middle is a brachiopod, a mollusk on a stem. There is another brachiopod on each side of the apex. Above the apex is a fish, swimming to the left. He looks like he’s swimming upside down. There is a subtle circle around the triangle, going behind the brachiopods.
The 4 of Swords has a sword handle in each corner, with the points meeting in the center of the card. There are two horizontal crescents, curving outwards, about halfway between the center and the top and bottom of the card, respectively. There are also eight smaller vertical crescents with the outer curve to the center of the card and the side of the card cutting off part of the horns. There is a lotus floating just above the two lowest crescents, between them and the lower horizontal crescent.
The 5 of Swords references the 5 of Wands, in that they form a woven star. The points touch the handles at each of the star points. Above and centered behind the top of the star is an open eye in the sky. The horizon is just above the horizontal sword, there are waves below the horizon line.
The 6 of Swords has a horizontal sword at the top, point to the right; a horizontal sword on the bottom, point to the left; and two pairs of crossed swords forming two long X’s in the middle of the card. Their points are to the center, above and below the horizon line, which is where the swords cross. The sun is centered behind the top points and top horizontal sword. There is a shrimp centered between the bottom points, his feelers are pointing upwards.
The 7 of Swords has a square of swords below, and a triangle of swords above it, referencing the 7 of Wands. The points of the swords form the apex of the triangle, the base points to the left. The square has two points in its upper right, two handles in its lower right, and a point and handle in each of the left corners. The horizon line is between the top of the square and the base of the triangle. There is a sun with a face on it shining up through the water, and a horizontal crescent, outer curve to the top, centered in the beam of light. These swords are yellow and blue.
The 8 of Swords references the 4 of Swords. The sword points all meet in the center of the card, and now there is a sword in the center of each side as well as in each corner. The two large crescents and 8 smaller crescents are the same.
The 9 of Swords references the 6 of Swords. There are two horizontal swords each at the top and bottom. Each pair has the upper sword pointing left, and the lower sword pointing right. The two pairs of crossed swords in the middle of the card are overlapped by a horizontal sword, pointing right. It covers the horizon line. The sun and lobster are both centered in the sky and sea in the background.
The 10 of Swords references both the 4 and 8 of Swords. The swords form a circle, all points meeting in the center of the card. There are two horizontal swords on the sides of the card, a sword in each of the corners, and two swords each on the top and bottom of the card. The crescents in the background are the same.
The Ace of Swords has a hand reaching out from the left side, in the air, holding the sword pointing straight down into water. There is a vertical crescent on each side of the hand, with the points touching the sides of the card. The guard on the sword is formed of two crescents, the larger one curving around the hand, and the smaller in opposition to it, curving towards the sword point. The sword is sticking into the sea, and a crab on the sandy sea floor is looking at it. There are also two snails on the sand.
The 2 of Swords has dark, windy sky above, and lighter water in the lower half of the card, with lightning reflected in the water. Two swords are superimposed over this backdrop. the one on the left has the handle touching the top border, and angling down, towards the lower left corner. The sword on the right has the handle touching the right side of the card, and angles up to point towards the top center of the card.
The 3 of Swords has a triangle. The base sword has the handle to the right, the other two point to the apex, with is centered, about a third down from the top of the card. In the middle is a brachiopod, a mollusk on a stem. There is another brachiopod on each side of the apex. Above the apex is a fish, swimming to the left. He looks like he’s swimming upside down. There is a subtle circle around the triangle, going behind the brachiopods.
The 4 of Swords has a sword handle in each corner, with the points meeting in the center of the card. There are two horizontal crescents, curving outwards, about halfway between the center and the top and bottom of the card, respectively. There are also eight smaller vertical crescents with the outer curve to the center of the card and the side of the card cutting off part of the horns. There is a lotus floating just above the two lowest crescents, between them and the lower horizontal crescent.
The 5 of Swords references the 5 of Wands, in that they form a woven star. The points touch the handles at each of the star points. Above and centered behind the top of the star is an open eye in the sky. The horizon is just above the horizontal sword, there are waves below the horizon line.
The 6 of Swords has a horizontal sword at the top, point to the right; a horizontal sword on the bottom, point to the left; and two pairs of crossed swords forming two long X’s in the middle of the card. Their points are to the center, above and below the horizon line, which is where the swords cross. The sun is centered behind the top points and top horizontal sword. There is a shrimp centered between the bottom points, his feelers are pointing upwards.
The 7 of Swords has a square of swords below, and a triangle of swords above it, referencing the 7 of Wands. The points of the swords form the apex of the triangle, the base points to the left. The square has two points in its upper right, two handles in its lower right, and a point and handle in each of the left corners. The horizon line is between the top of the square and the base of the triangle. There is a sun with a face on it shining up through the water, and a horizontal crescent, outer curve to the top, centered in the beam of light. These swords are yellow and blue.
The 8 of Swords references the 4 of Swords. The sword points all meet in the center of the card, and now there is a sword in the center of each side as well as in each corner. The two large crescents and 8 smaller crescents are the same.
The 9 of Swords references the 6 of Swords. There are two horizontal swords each at the top and bottom. Each pair has the upper sword pointing left, and the lower sword pointing right. The two pairs of crossed swords in the middle of the card are overlapped by a horizontal sword, pointing right. It covers the horizon line. The sun and lobster are both centered in the sky and sea in the background.
The 10 of Swords references both the 4 and 8 of Swords. The swords form a circle, all points meeting in the center of the card. There are two horizontal swords on the sides of the card, a sword in each of the corners, and two swords each on the top and bottom of the card. The crescents in the background are the same.
