This interesting out-of-print deck is a different take on the Etteilla-style tarots.  The cards are wide and feature multiple image areas on the face of the card.  The deck comes in a black velvet-flocked presentation box which gives it a rich look and feel.  This look and feel are then belied by the actual deck itself, which is printed entirely in green and white with yellow and red on it, and looks rather unattractive, in my opinion, though not without appeal, if that makes any sense.  It doesn't have to be pretty to work.

There are 78 cards in this deck and they do rather strictly follow the Etteilla format, with the exception of being titled all in Spanish (and English) rather than French.  The cards are numbered consecutively from 1 through 78, and there is less distinction between the Majors and the Minors than in traditional or classic decks.  The Fool is at the end of the deck, card number 78.  All the cards in the deck feature a long narrow image area on the right two thirds of the card which resembles the Etteilla deck image and is like a smaller card contained within the larger one; this is referred to in the little white booklet as an allegorical picture. On the left hand side of the card, three smaller image areas contain the Hebrew letter (upright and reversed) and in the center, a small symbolic picture of the meaning of the card.

The titles in the Major Arcana totally follow Etteilla format.  If you've read my reviews of the Etteilla decks, you'll be familiar with these already, but if not, titles are as follows, in English and Spanish:

1 -- Chaos -- El Caos
2 -- The Sun -- La Luz
3 -- The Plants -- Las Plantas
4 -- The Heavens -- El Cielo
5 -- The Sky, Man and Animals -- El Cielo, El Hombre y Los Animales
6 -- The Universe -- Los Astros
7 -- The Birds and Fish -- Las Aves y Los Peces
8 -- Repose -- Descanso o Reposo
9 -- Justice -- La Justicia o La Paz
10 -- Temperance -- La Temperanza
11 -- Strength -- La Forza
12 -- Prudence -- La Prudencia
13 -- The Grand Patriarch -- El Gran Patriarca
14 -- The Devil -- El Diablo
15 -- The False Diviner -- El Falso Adivino
16 -- Judgment -- Juicio Final
17 -- Death -- La Muerte
18 -- The Hermit -- El Ermitano
19 -- Destruction of the Temple -- La Destruccion del Templo
20 -- The Wheel of Fortune -- La Rueda de la Fortuna
21 -- The Tyrant -- Odio Africano, El Despota

Interestingly enough, these allegorical pictures which appear on the right hand side of this deck look exactly like the ones in the Tarot Egyptien that I reviewed last night, only instead of being rendered in soft, attractive colors, they are in this ugly bright green with red and yellow and white on it.  Colors often bleed over the edges of their fields into the next part of the image.  Additionally, the titles have been sketched in on top of the images in Spanish wherever there is room.  Had I not seen this deck just last night, I'd not probably note the direct resemblance.  This may be why there is no artist designated in the literature for this deck, only the publishers.

The Minor Arcana begin with number 22 and continue through 77.  The suits are the classic Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins.  Court cards are the usual King, Queen, Knight and Page.  Instead of the Hebrew letters, the Minor Arcana bear an image of the Marseille tarot card which corresponds to them in one of the image areas, and the bridge or poker card which correlates in the other image area.  For this reason the Minor Arcana are more pleasing and more interesting to look at in this deck.  Numbered cards are merely pips, no scenes are used to illustrate the cards, although that little symbolic picture does still appear.

All 78 cards in the deck have the number and a keyword meaning in the top border of the card (and in the opposite border, as well, which is the top when the card is reversed).  Meanings are preceded by the term "Diritto" on the upright meaning, and "Rovescio"  on the reversed meaning.  These help to determine which way the meaning applies, especially in the numbered pip cards where it is often difficult to tell by looking at the card whether it is upright or reversed.  The cards themselves are average length, but wider than standard, giving the deck a "chunky" feel in the hands that is not entirely uncomfortable and has a strange appeal.  The edges are buffed to a smooth finish.  The cardstock is standard weight and flexes easily, and the cards are coated with a thin protective layer of gloss.

The little white booklet which accompanies the deck is written by Stuart Kaplan and goes into short, succinct meanings for each card.  Descriptions are almost abrupt in their brevity.  The meanings are given for both upright and reversed cards.   Meanings are one-word or two-word keys which you then have to work with.  The booklet gives brief summaries of each suit before tackling each separate card; this is helpful.  Additionally, it explains that in the Tarocco Egiziano, the poker suits of Diamonds and Clubs are switched, so that Diamonds correspond with Wands and Clubs with Coins, instead of the other way around which is traditional.  No reason for this switch is given.  No descriptions are given in the booklet for the little symbolic pictures in the left centers of each card, instead focusing more on the standard Etteilla meanings for the cards.

An interesting deck for the collector, or for fans of Etteilla style tarots, this deck will probably not appeal to beginners and has very little in common with traditional tarot so is not easy to learn with.  The back design is more attractive than the front.  This will not appeal to anyone based on the artwork.  However, if you are interested in historical decks, I imagine this would help the reader understand the Etteilla more easily.  Otherwise, it's basically just a neat addition to collections.

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Review Copyright 1999 by Gina M. Pace

Tarocco Egiziano, copyright 1983 by US Games Systems, Inc.
published jointly by Ace/Altenburger und Straisunder Spielkarten, Leinfelden, West Germany and Bi-Ass, Milan, Italy