Tarot meets Camelot. This deck composed of exquisite watercolour illustrations by Anna-Marie Ferguson perfectly captures the romance of chivalry as it was imagined in Le Mort d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory.
This is the kind of Tarot deck that a call a heavyweight deck. It is literally heavy, because it comes with a full-sized book entitled A Keeper of Words. I love the physical sensation of lifting a hefty presentation box off the bookshelf. It is also a heavyweight contribution to the Tarot genre because it joins two foundational mythologies – Tarot and the Matter of Britain – into an original synergy in such a way that each illuminates the other. This is a deep deck and no mistake.
In my previous post I discussed Tarot’s ability to cross over the boundaries between apparently unrelated esoteric realms. The Legend Tarot is a prime example of this crossover effect. Two paradigms melt into one. The logical structure of Tarot and the fluidity of the Arthurian narrative magically blend into an alchemical fusion of complementary opposites. As always happens when opposites synthesize, an utterly new way of being is born out of the union.
I know this because a major schism in my life was healed by a reading of just one card from the Legend Tarot deck. Here is the card.
(In the Legend Tarot the Shield suit corresponds to the suit of Pentacles in a classic deck.)
There is a long story behind this card. I will quote it in full from The Keeper of Words.
“In the Grail romances, Evalach the Unknown was the heathen king of Sarras. He was befriended by Joseph of Arimathea who found Evalach enthroned in a rich sun temple within the city of Sarras. Joseph eventually managed to convert Evalach to the Christian faith, though judging by his baptismal name, Mordrain (‘slow of belief”), one might guess that this was not an easy task.
Joseph gave his friend a shield of miraculous powers, which depicted the scene of the crucifixion. Evalach carried the shield into battle with the Egyptian king Tholomer. The sight unnerved his opponents and brought victory to Evalach. After the battle, the shield performed a second miracle by restoring a soldier’s severed hand; the scene on the shield faded, never to return.
Joseph of Arimathea made his way to Britain, reputedly bringing with him the Grail, or chalice of the Last Supper. Evalach followed, bringing the treasured shield into the future land of Arthur. Legend claims that the Holy Grail first came to rest in Avalon (Glastonbury). It was during this time that Evalach approached too near the Grail and was struck down. His dare left him a blind invalid, destined to languish in this world for hundreds of years, until Galahad released him. While upon his deathbed Joseph thought to leave his earthbound friend something to remember him by, and stained Evalach’s shield with a cross of his own blood.
Evalach established an abbey and placed the shield in its care. Over the years rumours circulated, attracting knights who tried and failed to bear the shield. None could ride more than a few miles from the abbey without being assaulted by a phantom white knight who insisted the shield be returned. Thus, when Galahad arrived at the abbey, the shield of Evalach awaited him. On leaving the abbey, bearing the shield, Galahad met the white knight, only this time the phantom related the history of the shield and then vanished.
Evalach was healed by Galahad and died in Galahad’s arms.”
An evocative story out of the mists of legend, but what did it have to do with my existential problems in the here and now? I will tell you in my next post.
Infinity Tarot 