Egyptian Tarot - tempera on papyrus with historical imagery
Most tarot cards are digitized and printed on cardstock. This deck starts on papyrus. Silvana Alasia painted all 78 cards with tempera, a technique that mixes pigment with egg or glue. The result feels like a visual excavation: images that look as if they have been pulled from a tomb.
The Egyptian Tarot is published by Lo Scarabeo and follows the esoteric tradition of Jean-Baptiste Pitois and the Book of Thoth. Each card carries titles in four languages: English, French, Italian, and German.
What you see on the cards
The background of each card is deep black. Against this, the papyrus illustrations float, as if plucked from a museum and laid on the table. Colors are earthy: ochre, red, green, blue. The style mimics Egyptian wall paintings, with flat perspectives and stylized figures.
Gods and goddesses appear in the imagery. Anubis, Isis, Thoth, Ra. They stand among lotus flowers, scarabs, ankh symbols, and hieroglyphs. The symbolism is dense, but not impenetrable.
The cards measure 70 x 120 mm and sit comfortably in the hand. The cardstock has a silky finish that makes shuffling easy.
How this deck relates to traditional tarot
This is not a Rider-Waite clone. The structure is familiar: 22 major arcana, 56 minor arcana, divided across four suits. But the imagery follows its own path. The strength of this deck lies in its visual richness and its link to Egyptian mythology, not in the recognizability of standard scenes.
Those accustomed to reading meanings from standard figure positions will need to look differently here. These cards work through symbols and colors, not narrative scenes.
Lay the cards on a dark cloth. The black background and papyrus texture come through more strongly, and the images appear to float.
About Silvana Alasia
Silvana Alasia is an Italian artist who specializes in historical and esoteric imagery. Her work combines classical painting techniques with symbolism from ancient traditions. The Egyptian Tarot is one of her best-known projects and is used worldwide by collectors and readers.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78
- Size: 70 x 120 mm
- Language: multilingual (English, French, Italian, German)
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- Artist: Silvana Alasia
- Material: printed on sturdy cardstock with silky finish
- Style: tempera on papyrus with black background
- Guidebook: multilingual booklet with basic meanings
Questions we often get
Does this deck follow the Rider-Waite tradition?
No. This deck is based on the esoteric tradition of the Book of Thoth and the vision of Jean-Baptiste Pitois. The structure is recognizable, but the imagery departs from classic RWS scenes.
Is this deck suitable for beginners?
That depends. The images are powerful and intuitive, but less narrative than a classic RWS deck. The guidebook offers basic meanings, which helps with getting started.
