This deck was one I had seen in an old US Games catalog and had wanted to get a long time ago, but when I got my new catalog, it wasn't in there.  Discontinued from US Games, I more or less forgot about it until recently, when a friend tipped me off to the availability of it from another distributor.

Long story short, we had to track it down at yet another distributor, but managed to get their last two copies.  It is apparently out of print.  This is unfortunate because the Ansata Tarot is a tremendously masterful piece of work, combining the artistic symbolism of the zodiac with the meaningful symbolism of the tarot.

The style is dark and surrealistic but the quality of the art is unsurpassed.  I have scanned more of the cards than usual, so that you can see what I mean.  If you, the reader, come across this deck anywhere in your travels, it may well be wise to purchase them, seeing as they are becoming increasingly unavailable.

The cards themselves are only the Major Arcana, and come in a small plastic slipcase similar to the kind Disney movies are packaged in.  The cards themselves are larger than standard so that the artwork is adequately showcased.  Shuffling is not too clumsy, as the cardstock flexes easily.  Since there are no Minor Arcana, there are no suits or court cards.

This is the kind of deck which either appeals strongly, or provokes a strong dislike.  It will not appeal to the "sweetness-and-light" crowd, but for those who like their imagery to be graphic and intense, this deck has a lot to offer.  The cards are rife with symbolism and every time I look at it I see something new and exciting which I previously missed.

Click here to see pictures
(will take longer to load)

or here to return

Please use your browser's back button to return from pictures

Review Copyright 1998 by Gina M. Pace