“Holding the power over the mysteries of ancient Egypt—realized in tempera on papyrus.” – From the box
Mini-tarots are great to have for portability and convenience, and they’re an even better find when they happen to be both attractive and readable! With the Major Arcana fashioned with Rider-Waite sensibilities and the Minors illustrated beyond basic pips but less than full-blown character scenes, the Egyptian Tarots Mini is one of those decks I liked at first-sight.
Measuring approximately 3-1/8 x 1-3/4 inches, the Egyptian Tarots Mini depicts iconography that one would expect given the theme of this deck: scarabs, hieroglyphics, Anubis, the Eye of Horus, white togas, elaborate headdresses, horizontally striped scepters, dark eyeliner and so on.
Although the Little White Book is as basic as it gets (upright keywords and a description of the Celtic Cross spread), the Egyptian Tarots Mini is quite readable even if you have little knowledge of Egyptian lore or symbolism—thanks, in part, to the RWS-style majors. For example, The Tower shows a pyramid being struck by lightning and two men plunge headfirst towards the ground.
The suits of this deck are Chalices, Pentacles, Wands, and Swords, but the Pentacles are expressed as disks, while hook-shaped scepters represent Wands. The simple yet attractive backings are not reversible, but depict an intricate array of hieroglyphics in olive green with the white background designed to look like aged papyrus. The Court Cards follow the Knave, Knight, Queen and King designation.
If you’re drawn towards Egyptian-themed decks or are looking for a mini-Tarot to tuck away in your purse, briefcase or backpack, the Egyptian Tarots Mini would be a wonderful choice! I’m very pleased that I bought this deck, and would love to have the larger version which comes in a kit.
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