Aztec Codex playing cards

Inspired by the ancient Aztec art found on the Mesoamerican manuscripts made by the pre-Columbian Aztecs, and their descendants during the colonial period in Mexico, Emmanuel Valtierra, an Illustrator from San Antonio, Texas produced this Aztec codex playing card pack via Kickstarter in 2015. According to Valtierra “the purpose of the cards will be to introduce new generations to the old style of art in a very fun way. We will be able to start learning some basic elements of the Aztecs”. All the cards were designed to have a meaning according to the codex.

The kings are based on the last 4 huey tlatoanis (emperors) of Mexico. Cuahutemoc, Moctezuma, Tizoc, and Ahuizotl. The queens portray Aztec women doing their labours - taking care of the babies, gardening, cooking, and watching the house while their men are labouring for the village. The Jacks represent different kinds of Aztec warriors but the most important (and well known) are the eagle and jaguar warriors. The cards are shaded to look like they are on parchment, with decorative suit signs throughout. The Jokers are the mystical Aztec Gods - Hutzilopochtli (the sun god representing war and sacrifice) and Tlaloc (the rain god representing fertility and growth), while Quetzalcoatl (the Aztec god of wind, air, and learning) is shown on the tuck box►

Above: Aztec Codex playing cards illustrated by Emmanuel Valtierra, published via Kickstarter, USA, 2015.