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Egyptian Tarot
(US Games Edition)

I've seen this tarot deck in the US Games catalog for years, but always assumed it was the Brotherhood of Light/Church of Light Egyptian Tarot deck that I already had.  However, I had to order one in the store for a customer, and when I got a look at it up close, I realized it's not the same deck at all.  There is an unmistakeable resemblance in the cards' images, but how they are put forward is quite distinctly different.  It looks as though this deck is done by a different artist but by copying the images from the other deck, or taking art direction from the same source.  For a side-by-side comparison of the same card from both decks, click here.
 
The cards in the deck are colored a beige parchment color, presumably to give the look of papyrus.  The deck is inked in brown against this color for contrast.  I would still categorize this as a black and white deck.  The image area is offset within this large oval which is done to resemble a cartouche, and there is a solid line across the bottom of it, with the number and the title underneath it.  There are astrological symbols in the lower right corner.  Numbering is done in Roman numerals.  The titles vary quite a bit from traditional tarot, so I have listed them below.
 
I - The Magus
II - The Gate of the Sanctuary
III - Isis-Urania
IV - The Cubic Stone
V - The Master of the Arcanes
VI - The Two Ways
VII - The Chariot of Osiris
VIII - The Balance and the Sword
IX - The Veiled Lamp
X - The Sphinx
XI - The Tamed Lion
XII - The Sacrifice
XIII - The Reaping Skeleton
XIV - The Two Urns
XV - Typhon
XVI - The Thunder-struck Tower
XVII - The Star of the Magi
XVIII - The Twilight
XIX - The Dazzling Light
XX - The Rising of the Dead
XXI - The Crown of the Magi
XXII - The Crocodile
 
Interestingly, the numbers continue to go up through the Minor Arcana until they reach 78.  The suits contain numbered pip cards showing one to ten arranged icons, and the titles go something like "The Five Scepters" but it is numbered XXXI because of the sequencing of the deck.  The suits are Scepters, Cups, Swords and Pentacles.  The names of the court cards are Master, Mistress, Warrior and Slave.
 
The cards themselves are slightly smaller than standard size and have a nice semigloss coating for protection.  The cardstock is nice and flexible and the edges and corners are smooth and rounded.  It is easy to shuffle and handle.  The back design is simply two King Tut masks, one for upright and one for reversed.  The little white booklet is fairly substantial and spends a decent amount of time explaining what the symbolism in the pictures mean, as well as divinatory meanings.  Ironically the only spread included in this is the Celtic Cross spread, although here it's called the Ten Card Spread.
 
I recommend this deck for anyone who is using Egyptian symbolism in an esoteric, hermetic or ceremonial magick environment.  Anyone who is interested in the historical roots of Golden Dawn or esoteric tarot will probably enjoy this deck as a study aid towards that end, since this illustrates the early forms of that style of tarot.  I would also say any collector will like having it, and the artwork is interesting and authentic looking.  A beginner will probably be able to struggle through with it, but it's more suited to advanced tarotists.
 
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Review Copyright 2000 by Gina M. Pace

Egyptian Tarot (US Games edition) 1980
published by US Games, Inc.
ISBN 0-913866-94-6