History of playing cards

Playing cards (i.e. cards to play with) have existed in Europe since the Middle Ages. But the cards used for divination (tarot or tarok) are much older.

In the ancient Italian countries (the countries around ancient Rome) there was a predictive ritual around the goddess Fortuna, the goddess of good luck. This involved the use of wooden panels on which images were placed that had a predictive value.

The origins

Playing cards in their current form probably originate from China. The invention of playing cards was attributed to a concubine of the emperor S’eun-ho (1120), but it is assumed that printed cards already existed in the year 969. The design of these cards is very similar to Chinese money as used in the early T’ang dynasty long before that time. Perhaps they were also used for games?

Even older than these Chinese money cards are the Korean cards with which the future could also be predicted.

Sorcery?

In the 14th century, a card game called ‘naib’ was played in Italy, probably from the Hebrew ‘naibi’; magic. Does the game originate from the Middle East? That is not entirely certain. The crusaders may have found it in Palestine, but it may also have come here via gypsies. Because of this “devilish” origin, card games were soon banned in many Western countries.

Tarot

The first European cards were fortune-telling cards, the Tarot. A deck consisted of 21 numbered cards with pictures and a 22nd unnumbered card; the jester. The forerunner of the current joker.

Later, 56 ‘Oriental’ cards with numbers were added to the pictures. A deck consisted of 78 cards.

Click here for more information about making your own Tarot deck.

Playing cards

In the past, decks of cards were made by hand, but with the development of the printing press, the production of decks of cards could be automated and standardized. From the 19th century, the designs were also mirrored so that the cards could be held upside down. This led to the playing sides as we know them today.

Click here for more information on making your own deck of cards.

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