What is the History of Playing Cards?
Playing cards may date as far back as seventh century China, and they were certainly well known in China by the 11th century. Their history is complex and, at times, difficult to verify, thanks to the fact that playing cards tend to decay in a very short period of time, making it difficult to track down historical examples of playing cards. Playing cards are also quite diverse, with different regions having different suits and different numbers of cards, which can sometimes be frustrating for travelers. The origins of playing cards are believed to lie in China, and they probably spread outwards, first to India and later to the Middle East. As playing cards moved across Asia, the suits and numbers of cards mutated, with decks including anywhere from 36 to 72 cards, with three, four, and five suits, and sometimes even more. By the late 14th century, playing cards had been introduced to Europe, where they proved to be extremely popular.
