Arthurian Legacy: Tuatha de Danaan Tarot

The Arthurian Legacy: Tuatha de Danaan Tarot is a 78-card deck created by artist Arlene Whiteswan, drawing inspiration from the ancient Irish mythological race, the Tuatha de Danaan. The deck features hand-painted artwork with a distinct medieval gothic style, evident in the costuming, architectural elements, and overall composition. The campaign, launched in 2021, aimed to bring this long-gestating project to fruition, having been conceived by the artist in 1996.

This deck reinterprets the traditional tarot structure through its unique lens, notably renaming the court cards to 'Maiden' for the page equivalent, as seen in the provided imagery (Maiden of Spears, Maiden of Swords, Maiden of Shields, Maiden of Grails). The suits are also renamed to Spears (Wands), Swords, Shields (Pentacles), and Grails (Cups), aligning with the Arthurian and Celtic themes. The deck was intended to be accompanied by a softcover guidebook, with a full-color PDF version also offered.

The physical production details mentioned in the reward tiers included options for a standard finish or a luxury linen finish, indicating a consideration for card quality and tactile experience. Despite its unsuccessful funding campaign, the deck represents a unique artistic vision, blending Celtic mythology with a classic tarot framework and a distinctive art style.

This deck is ideal for collectors and readers with a strong interest in Celtic mythology, Arthurian legends, or medieval aesthetics. It will appeal to those who appreciate hand-painted, folk-art styles over modern digital illustrations. Experienced tarot readers looking for a deck with a unique thematic and artistic interpretation of the RWS system, particularly one that renames suits and court cards, will find it engaging. It may also attract those interested in the Tuatha de Danaan specifically.

Arlene Whiteswan, an artist, adventurer, and self-described Faery seer, began painting this tarot deck in 1996 after experiencing visitations from the Tuatha de Danaan. The project remained in storage for many years until she felt the time was right to bring it to the public. Her long-standing connection to the subject matter and personal spiritual experiences are central to the deck's creation and thematic depth.