The Shahnameh
The Shahnameh Playing Cards are inspired by one of the world’s greatest epics: The Shahnameh (The Book of Kings), written over 1,000 years ago by Ferdowsi. This masterpiece is filled with ancient heroes, mythical beasts, epic battles, timeless stories of love, loss, destiny, and the eternal struggle between good and evil in the Persian kingdom around 500 BC. It is often considered the Eastern counterpart to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.
16th-century Shahnameh manuscripts
The Idea
The idea came to me especially because the epic’s tales reflect many elements found in playing cards: encounters among kings, noble women, and heroic warriors. much like the kings, queens, and jacks in a deck. This similarity inspired me to create a card deck that bringsShahnameh’s characters and stories to life. I based my illustrations directly on theShahnameh, carefully following its descriptions of each character’s appearance and personality. I also drew inspiration from the stunning 15th- and 16th-century Persian illustrated manuscripts.
The character designs and stories are not only based on the tales of Shahnameh, but also they’re faithful to the characteristics of the classical suits of a deck of cards.
16th Century Painting
Sketch
As an artist, I believe in the power of the human mind to create art that reflects personal experiences, emotions, & intentions.
Human-made art has a special quality that AI can never replicate! perhaps it’s the beauty of being perfectly imperfect. My custom-designed playing cards are created with care and passion, without any AI involvement.
I create all my initial sketches by hand, refining them through multiple iterations to achieve the final design. Once finalized, I redraw them in vector format to ensure exceptional quality for high-resolution printing.
Some of my sketches
Suit of Diamonds
The suit of the first king, the savior of humanity, who defeated Zahhak, the ruler of the dark ages (Joker 1), with his legendary bull’s-head mace. The King, Queen, and Jack of this suit are deeply respected by the other suits for their courage, wisdom, and legacy. They stand as symbols of strength and honor.
Suit of Hearts
The love story between Jack and Queen of Hearts is a timeless classic in the epic, marked by many emotional twists and turns. Their love story was so controversial and had the potential to ignite a great war but was handled by the wisdom and approval of the King of Hearts.
Suit of Clubs
The tale of the Suit of Clubs is filled with tragedy and battles. It begins with the king of Clubs, a sworn enemy of all other suits, and continues with the Queen, the only woman warrior among them. The Jack’s story is just as tragic, unknowingly attempting to kill his own father in his loyalty to serve his king.
Suit of Spades
The suit of Spades contains the most important characters of the epic. The King of Spades is the justest of all kings, and Rostam (The Jack of Spades) is the main hero of the story. He is the son of the Queen and Jack of Hearts and is infamous for defeating the White Div (Joker 2). Rostam also has a secret love affair with the Queen of Spades, adding a layer of complexity to his already legendary story.
Joker 1: Zahhak
Zahhak, the King of the Dark Ages, ruled over Iran for a thousand years. He is infamous for the two snakes that grew on his shoulders, a result of the Evil’s kiss!
Joker 2: The White Div
The White Div, King of the Evil Land, almost defeated humanity before being defeated by the Jack of Spades.
Card Back
The illustration on the back of each card and on the tuck box features the Simurgh, a majestic mythical bird symbolizing wisdom, healing, and protection. In Shahnameh and other Persian legends, the Simurgh is a guardian spirit who appears when hope is nearly lost, guiding heroes and restoring balance.
I designed the back with symmetry inspired by Persian rugs, and used foil and embossed details on all editions of the tuck box to echo the golden accents often seen in Persian miniature art.
Number Cards
Patterns have always been an integral part of Persian art, from architecture to clothing and Persian rugs. I designed the numbers of this deck of cards inspired by these traditional patterns.
Guide Book
There’s a fine line between writing an engaging guidebook that the reader enjoys and creating something that quickly becomes as boring as the TV manual you’ve never bothered to read.
With my experience in the book industry, I’ve made sure to tell the story of the characters and the Easter eggs in the cards in a way that keeps you hooked, so you’ll want to read the whole thing in one sitting and truly enjoy it.
I’ve gone through many analytical articles and books about this epic and condensed the best parts into this little guidebook. So even if you’re familiar with the story, you’ll discover plenty of interesting facts that I'm sure you haven’t heard or thought of before.
Magnetic Box
A special magnetic box featuring a beautiful design inspired by part of the story. Inside, a soft velvet EVA insert securely holds both the card deck and guidebook. The box is finished with luxurious silk matte lamination, elegant gold foil hot stamping, and refined embossed details for a truly sophisticated touch.
Feather of Hope
Simurgh (mythical bird), can only be summoned by the Jack of Hearts to whom Simurgh gave one of her feathers, and once the Jack of Hearts put fire to the feather, Simurgh would show up.
This feather was used in the illustrations and I call it the feather of hope.