Definition/Summary:
Sign of warning or good fortune
“Mark of luck”
- The playing card denotes highest win amongst players of a game.
“Mark of Death”
- Used to show the “Fate of Death”
meaning death has won
Folklore
- Vietnam
Used as a symbol of Death in Vietnam, soldiers would lay the ace of spades upon their kills and spread throughout the battle field as a scare tactic against the enemy
Expanded info:
Literature
Treasure Island
- Black spot The verdict of guilt or judgment. Characters in the story are mark with the black spot later identified as the ace of spades.
- This points to the origin of its cultural use, the card or spot is used to mark the condemned, a traitor or informer.