Zewd Historical Deck

Published July 23, 2026 • Updated July 23, 2026

Ethiopian imperial history, from Tewodros II to Haile Selassie.

The yellow-and-black Zewd Historical Deck tuck case beside the pack, topped by the Queen of Hearts.

Above: the tuck case beside the Queen of Hearts, showing the pack’s yellow card edges.

Zewd comes from the Amharic word ዘውድ, transliterated zäwd and often written Zewd or Zewdi, meaning “crown”. Designed in 2026 by Beamlakf Desta and produced in Ethiopia by Wenag Publishing, the court cards show Ethiopian emperors and empresses.

The double-ended court cards show four Ethiopian emperors and four empresses. Atse, the Amharic title for emperor, precedes Tewodros II, Yohannes IV, Menelik II and Haile Selassie. Etiege, also written Itege or Etege, is the title of an empress consort; Mintwab, Makda, Taytu and Menen appear on the corresponding female court cards.

The Ace of Hearts contains a white gun within the red heart. The Club and Spade aces show spears against yellow discs; the Ace of Diamonds contains a white linear design within the red diamond.

Kings, queens, jacks and aces from the four suits of the Zewd Historical Deck.

Above: the four suits arranged by rank. The kings and queens show Ethiopian emperors and empresses, while the jacks repeat a portrait of the designer, Beamlakf Desta, in changing colours.

Above: the four aces. The Heart contains a white gun; the Club and Spade show spears against yellow discs; the Diamond contains a white linear design within the red diamond.

Two Zewd joker cards above two card backs in yellow and white colourways.

Above: two joker cards above the two card-back colourways. The word ጆከር (jokər) on the jokers is the Amharic rendering of “joker”.

A spread from the Zewd Historical Deck, showing court cards, aces and pip cards.

Above: court cards, aces and pip cards from the Zewd Historical Deck.

Number cards from the four suits of the Zewd Historical Deck.

Above: number cards from the four suits, showing the black, red and yellow pips used across the layouts.

References

Wikipedia, “Emperor of Ethiopia”.
Wikipedia, “List of royal consorts of Ethiopia”.
Amharic Teacher, “ዘውድ (zewdi)”, Amharic–English dictionary entry: “crown”.

1 Article

By Beamlakf Desta

Ethiopia • Member since April 10, 2026

Hello, I’m Beamlakfekad Desta. I am a graphic designer and branding specialist with a deep passion for minimalist aesthetics and premium visual storytelling. Throughout my career, I’ve helped businesses build their identities, but Zewd Historical Cards is a project that comes directly from my heart. I created Zewd Historical Cards because I wanted to see our rich history represented in a way that feels both timeless and modern. The word Zewd means "Crown," and to me, it represents more than just royalty it represents the strength, legacy, and culture of Ethiopia that deserves to be held in the hands of people all over the world. Zewd Historical Cards is my way of bridging the gap between ancient heritage and modern design. It’s a tribute to where we come from, crafted for the modern collector who appreciates elegance and history in equal measure.

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Zewd Historical Deck

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