Loteria

The author of one of the blogs I follow makes shirts as an avocation and regularly posts photos of ones he has finished. Many (most?) are gifts for family and friends, and they are colorful and resplendent. He takes particular delight in finding the perfect fabric for the giftee.

He recently completed a shirt with a pattern of faux tarot cards. I know, I know, you think all tarot cards are fake. If you have no idea what I am talking about, tarot cards are playing cards (most commonly numbering 78), used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games. From the late 18th century until the present time the tarot has also found use by fortune tellers, mystics and occultists for divination as well as a map of mental and spiritual pathways. Michelangelo knows how to read tarot cards and I have a slight understanding of the system.

Anyway, there are many versions of the cards and the designs are quite fascinating. The cards on the shirt are similar to tarot cards but not really really.

There is a Mexican game called loteria, similar to Bingo, that uses images as well as numbers on the cards.  The images remind me of the tarot cards, although they are simpler and reminiscent of a children's game. I suggested a shirt made with fabric depicting the loteria images would be especially fitting for the southwestern United States where he lives and practices both his profession and his craft.

Here are some typical tarot cards. Each image is on a separate card.

And here is a loteria card with its similar images. Note again that loteria is not a card game but is like Bingo. They look childlike -- but notice the spider, the scorpion and the skull.