Lo Scarabeo's Tarot decks have been acclaimed all over the world for originality and quality. With the best Italian and international artists, each Lo Scarabeo deck is an exceptional artistic value.
Commited to developing innovative new decks while preserving the rich tradition of Tarot, Lo Scarabeo continues to be a favorite among collectors and readers.
Llewellyn is the exclusive distributor of Lo Scarabeo products in North America.
Summary:
A brilliantly drawn deck using images of contemporary Pagans in
ritual and everyday situations. For Wiccans and Pagans who have
some knowledge of Tarot this deck is perfect to carry with you. The
brilliant and amazing imagery, along with its mini size, make this
deck more than worth your use.
In-Depth Review
One of the difficulties in using the Tarot is the simple act of
carrying them with you. Not only are most Tarot decks larger in
dimensions than a regular deck of playing cards, they're also much
thicker. You can't carry them in your pocket, and they practically
fill a small purse. No wonder many Tarot sets have drawstring bags
to make carrying the decks easier.
Lo Scarabeo, the prolific Italian publisher of some of the most
beautiful Tarot decks in the world, has an additional solution,
printing several of their decks in a "mini" size of 44 x 80 mm
(about 1.73 x 3.15 inches), about 1/3 smaller than most Tarot
decks. This makes them very easy to carry with you anywhere and
everywhere.
Because of the smaller size, the LWB is smaller, too. Therefore you
might want to get the complete set in full size that includes an
informative book by Pace and get this mini deck to carry with you.
The LWB includes a 5-card spread called the "Personal
Pentagram."
When you look at the cards you're going to be stunned. The artwork
is simply brilliant. Following in the comic book tradition, the
lines were drawn by Luca Raimondo. They depict people of all ages
and appearances doing things that Wiccans today might do, from
shopping in a grocery store (4 of Pentacles) to playing with your
daughter in the backyard (6 of Chalices), from working at a
computer (3 of Wands) to curling up hugging your legs because of a
broken heart (3 of Swords). All of the lines are very realistic,
and they're brought to life by the coloring of Cristiano Spadoni,
whose use of shadows is striking, giving very clear indications of
where the light source is. The result is incredibly dramatic,
adding to the realism of the imagery. In short, the art is
striking, realistic, and involving.
Let's examine some of the scenes on the Major Arcana. Here, The
Fool shows a woman in a white robe, groping in the dark with her
familiar, a cat, at her feet. It has the same meaning as the RWS
version of the Fool, but it is different in appearance and modern
Pagan in its feeling. The Magician shows an outdoors scene at
night. A robed figure is on the ground, casting a spell, with tools
all around. The High Priestess shows a white-robed woman leading a
coven outside at night. In the distance is a shadowy face of the
Goddess. Perhaps the High Priestess is about to (or already has)
Drawn Down the Moon and invoked the Goddess. The Empress shows an
older woman watching and sharing wisdom as her daughter works in a
well-tilled garden and a granddaughter plays/assists. In the
background is a statue of the Goddess. The Lovers shows a robed
woman with two paths in front of her. One leads to a similarly
robed coven and the other leads to a figure with a child. The
Chariot shows a young woman sitting on the bumper of a dirty,
well-packed station wagon. The Wheel [of Fortune] shows a woman at
a computer with a pie chart on the monitor. The Hanged Man shows a
woman being blindfolded and having her hands tied in preparation
for her being led to initiation into a coven. The Tower shows what
appears to be a sexual orgy with one woman in the foreground
walking away. The Sun has a woman at the beach casually drawing a
pentagram in the sand. Judgement shows a woman in a trance with
another leading her to experience a past life. In the background is
a scene from that memory, with Witches being hanged.
The deck appropriately uses lots of earth tones (It's a Pagan
deck). It also uses the feeling of shadow and darkness (in the
sense of shade). That was necessary to allow for the exaggerated
use of shadow. You don't have long shadows at noon. This deck is
creative and clever. It's absolutely perfect for anyone involved in
the study or practice of Paganism, especially Wicca. It is
excellent for giving general readings to people who have Pagan
interests.
Name of deck: Pagan Tarot (Mini)
Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
ISBN: 0-7387-1236-1
Creator's name: Gina M. Pace
Brief biography of creator: Ms. Pace, also known as "Wicce," is a
Wiccan who has been reading and teaching the Tarot for over 25
years. Her popular wicce.com website is a focus for many people
seeking reviews and information on the Tarot.
Artists' names: Luca Raimondo, coloring by Cristiano Spadoni
Brief biography of artists: Luca Raimondo illustrated Tarot of
Casanova, Olympus Tarot (with concept by Manfredi Toraldo) and
Pagan Tarot. Artist and comic book illustrator, he is renowned in
Italy and France for his historic reconstruction and stories.
Cristiano Spadoni has worked on numerous Tarot decks and was the
costume illustrator for the film, "The Life Aquatic with Steve
Zissou."
Name of accompanying booklet: Pagan Tarot
Number of pages of booklet: 32 (8 in English)
Available in a boxed kit?: Yes, but only with the full sized
version of the deck.
If yes, are there extras in the kit?: Yes, a full-sized book by
Pace and a beautiful bag to hold the deck.
Reading Uses: All general purpose readings.
Artistic Style: Realistic
Theme: Wicca in modern life.
Tarot, Divination Deck, Other: Tarot
Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard?: Yes in name, if not in
image.
Does it have extra cards?: No
Does it have alternate names for Major Arcana cards?: Just the
standard Lo Scarabeo differences: The Wheel of Fortune becomes The
Wheel, and The Star becomes The Stars.
Does it have alternate names for Minor Arcana suits?: Cups are
called Chalices.
Does it have alternate names for the Court Cards?: Yes. Instead of
Page, Knight, Queen, King they are Elemental, Novice, Initiate and
Elder.
Why was deck created?: The Tarot was designed to depict the life of
a contemporary Witch dealing with modern issues but who allows her
spirituality to flow in harmony with common events in daily
life.
Making Your Own Banishing (Some Fast Guidelines) From Hands-On
Chaos Magic, by Andrieh Vitimus Use what you know, metaphysically
as well as in the mundane world. For example, I mentioned the one
witch I knew who washed her hands to get rid of "evil" spirits. I
like anime, so I use some of those symbols and images, as well as
concepts from computer science, physics, movies, ... read this
article Esoteric Qabalistic Pattern for the Court Cards of the
Tarot Revitalizing Your Tarot Practice, Part 2: Spreads Scott
Cunningham Remembered: Public and Private The Games We Play: A
Sagittarius/Sagittarius Union The Capricorn Wedding
Most recent posts: Monogamous or Polygamous?
If you are reading this, I assume you are a tarot reader or at
least a tarot enthusiast. (Or perhaps you were lured in by my
clever title for this...
Saturn's Role in Health Care
Again, please welcome guest blogger Sharon Leah to Guided by the
Stars! Sharon works with Llewellyn's Calendars and Almanacs in our
Production...
Tell Me a Story in 30 Days
We all know that you can use tarot for readings. But did you know
that you can use tarot for writing? You can! Corrine Kenner wrote
all about it in...
More in blogs
A Grand Experiment in the Evolution of Magick The birth of this
updated website, along with a forum to share ideas through
blogging, presents the potential for a magickal experiment beyond
what... Join the discussion
Llewellyn's 2010 Astrological Calendar
By: Llewellyn Price: $13.99 Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Calendar
By: Llewellyn Price: $13.99 Llewellyn's 2010 Moon Sign Book
Plan Your Life by the Cycles of the Moon
By: Llewellyn Price: $10.99 Cunningham's Book of Shadows
The Path of An American Traditionalist
By: Scott Cunningham Price: $19.95 Llewellyn's 2010 Daily Planetary
Guide
Complete Astrology At-A-Glance
By: Llewellyn Price: $12.99
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
