The Origins of Playing Cards

The Cultural Context

The Gothic age, from the 13th - 15th centuries, saw fundamental economic and religious changes. The centre of gravity shifted from the land to the towns. A new form of economy evolved, based on production for sale and exchange, in which merchants and craftsmen played increasingly important roles. More...

Guilds of craftsmen were formed in towns, universities were established, books on all subjects were required... necessitating quicker and cheaper production. The invention of woodcuts towards the end of the 14th century, and Gutenberg's invention of movable type around 1440, made possible editions of multiple copies. The development of printing is the definitive symptom of the modern age: playing cards as a mass-produced commodity were a spin-off from these developments. The art of printing made it possible for the long-sealed fountain of ineffable wisdom to be brought to the common people...

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