Arab No. 2141

Each court in this deck represents a different culture from the Middle East and North Africa: spades are Turks (called “Old Turk” here), hearts are Bedouin, clubs are Toureg, and diamonds are Berber. The cards contain what look like chiefs, noblewomen, and warriors, with Middle Eastern vignettes or scrollwork in the background. The rank names are written in Arabic as well as English.

Despite the deck’s name, only one of the four cultures – Bedouin – is actually Arab. The Berbers (aka Amazigh) are the indigenous people of North Africa. The Toureg/Tuareg are a Berber subgroup. The Turks are, well, Turks. Together, the deck is a bit of an Orientalist hodgepodge.

Adding to the Orientalist flavor is the deck’s case , with “Arab” written in an English font meant to evoke Arabic calligraphy. The Ace of Hearts has “Piatnik” in similar fashion. A stereotypically Middle Eastern jester, clad in giant shoes and turban and holding what looks like a rattle, serves as the joker. All cards have angular borders on the front while the backs bear carpet-like designs.