Quick Peek: Crystal Skull Tarot

Crystal Skull Tarot by Jessie Driscoll with book authored by Rachel Pollack (yes, THE Racheal Pollack) is an indie published photographic deck. I purchased this deck from its creator in 2020 and I must say, it's a lot of fun, especially as we near the Day of the Dead.

Why I Love the Crystal Skull Tarot

Driscoll used a delightful sense of creativity in photographing crystals arranged to mirror the classic Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot. Each card is designed to give the reader a gist of the RWS card, but people are replaced with crystal skulls. Other crystals are used to aptly fill in for Cups (gem silica) and Swords (quartz crystal points). Wands are represented by twigs and Pentacles are shown by antique silver coins. The only drawback for this deck is that the labeling sometimes blends into the image making it difficult to read.

Some Favorite Cards

The Wheel of Fortune is asthetically pleasing to me. Yarn and other stones are used to create the wheel and background. For me, the colors are inviting. The Moon is also enjoyable to look at. In lieu of a crustacean, Driscoll added a stone turtle crawling onto the shore between a black and clear skull which mirror the wild and tame canines. I also love the clear crystal orb as the moon itself, but I'm a sucker for a crystal orb. Finally, I am including the Six of Swords. This is a favorite card in many decks for its qualities of redemption. The boat is represented as a stone and the loving protector is a rose quartz skull. Water is represented by light blue yarn.

The Basics

Number of Cards: 78

Major Card Titles: Traditional

Suits: Cups, Pentacles, Wands, and Swords

Courts: Page, Knight, Queen, and King

Backs: Lace with four quartz crystal skulls and four gem silica beads.