Lo Scarabeo Tarot - three tarot traditions in one image
Most tarot decks choose a direction. They follow Marseille, or Rider-Waite-Smith, or Thoth. This deck chooses all three at once. In each card image you find elements from the Tarot of Marseille, the Rider-Waite-Smith and Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot.
It is a study deck. Not a remix, not a modernisation, but a deliberate attempt to make the three traditions work within one system.
What you see on the cards
The drawing style is clear and contemporary. Anna Lazzarini works with clean lines and saturated colours. The result is uncluttered, not busy, even though there are multiple layers of symbolism in each image.
You see the difference when you place the cards next to a classic deck. A figure may have a posture from the Marseille tradition, an attribute from Rider-Waite, and a colour scheme from Thoth. It asks for attentive looking.
The guidebook is multilingual and briefly indicates where each element comes from. No extended essays, but enough to understand the choices made.
How you work with it
This deck asks you to compare. You can simply use it for readings, but it works strongest if you already have some experience with one of the three classic systems. Then you see where the differences lie and what the combination adds.
The format is compact (66 x 120 mm), slightly smaller than standard tarot cards. The cardstock is sturdy and has a smooth finish, which makes shuffling easy.
Place a card from this deck next to the same card from a Marseille, Rider-Waite or Thoth deck. Look at where the similarities lie and where this deck deviates. It sharpens your eye for symbolism.
About Mark McElroy and Anna Lazzarini
Mark McElroy is a tarot author and teacher. His strength lies in making complex systems accessible without flattening them.
Anna Lazzarini illustrates for Lo Scarabeo and brings clarity to layered assignments with her drawings. Her work for this deck is expressive without becoming overwhelming.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78 (Major and Minor Arcana)
- Size: 66 x 120 mm
- Material: sturdy cardstock with smooth finish
- Guidebook: multilingual instruction booklet (including English, French, German)
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- Author: Mark McElroy
- Illustrator: Anna Lazzarini
Questions we often get
Do I need to know the three traditions already to use this deck?
No, but it helps. If you have only worked with Rider-Waite, you can use this deck to learn to recognise elements from Marseille and Thoth. The guidebook indicates where each symbol comes from.
Is this a working deck or a study deck?
Both. You can simply use it for daily readings, but it is designed with study in mind. It works strongest when you take time to compare the symbolism.
