The Most Interesting Playing Cards In The World
The Most Interesting Playing Cards In The World
Before the advent of video games and other forms of contemporary games, card games were used as objects of recreation. Card games became widely known and appreciated because of how entertaining they were. People in earlier centuries played card games, enjoyed them, and introduced the games to everyone they know. Today, Playing cards are used and known by almost every corner of the globe.
However, ancient Europe had a more corrupt use for playing card games, during this period card games meant alcohol, gambling, and room for possible violence. Because of this, playing cards were also exposed to a darker side of society; one which wouldn’t have found the fun little games that they were previously used for appealing.
As a result of this, playing cards became violent and law-breaking became prohibited. For instance, in 1377 Paris, playing cards during workdays was forbidden for fear that it might cause an outbreak of bad behavior. The common problem gamblers had back then was that the backs of cards were blank and marks of wear on the card became the norm. In this period, playing cards became a money-making venture for gamblers as they filled bars, basement, and hidden locations all the while shaping playing cards into what we know today.
The invention of paper accelerated the propagation of playing card development. As card games spread across Europe from Asia, creating a general standard playing card became inevitable.
The earliest recorded card in Europe was made by hand like those designed for Charles VI; this was expensive. In the 15th century, printed woodcut decks showed up. The technique of printing woodcuts to decorate fabric was transferred to printing on paper around 1400 in Christian Europe, and as time went on, playing cards evolved into what we know today.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playing_card
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/08/the-lost-origins-of-playing-card-symbols/537786/
https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-2647,00.html