What is the meaning of card suits: myths and reality

Each of us at least once were holding playing cards, and some people give them a significant part of the time playing for fun or even to earnings. But very few know the true meaning of marks card suits and their names. There are many options, including the conspiracy, but they do not have any relation to reality.

You can often hear "Christian" version of the origin of card suits. She says that the suits are characters invented by early Christians for secret communication. Peaks in this case means the legionary spear of Longinus, struck Jesus, clubs – the cross upon which they crucified the Savior, diamonds – the stone on which lay the body of Christ after the burial, and the worms – the Cup of the Holy Grail.

But in fact, this version is not true, as the symbols on the cards can not be a Christian. The fact that the card was invented by the Chinese, and from them they got to India, the middle East and North Africa and then, through Spain, partly owned by the Moors in Europe.

It happened not earlier than the 14th century – the time when the first mentions of gambling games in different sources. Scientists had studied the secrets of the card deck and I know perfectly well that means a particular character and how he appeared.

Beyond all the obvious, and this card suit is actually indicated by a stylized image of the arms, lances or swords. In the Spanish version of medieval maps is curve Moorish sword.

Diamonds, strange as it may sound, but this icon depicts a stylized crystal. In the English language are those called "diamonds", that is diamonds. This suit was a serious metamorphosis before it took shape in the modern form and got familiar name. Once a common standard existed and maps were in General not twice, but four colors.

We have now taken the suit is French variation, derived from the first in Europe of the Spanish version. It was the French began to divide the cards into "black" and "red" and used badges of colors, the most similar to the modern. Was the formation of "French deck" around 1480, and then maps of this type were in Germany, where there were already own.

In the Middle ages the Germans diamonds called "bells" and the icon was used by another. When the French cards stuck and everyone is used to the familiar red diamond, the name remains in the Russian language evolved in diamonds. In the Ukrainian version, this suit was called "Dzvinka", and in Belarus – "swank".

Clubs – the suit, which calls the cross, to the cross is irrelevant. The icon, this suit symbolizes a Shamrock clover, which in French is called "trèfle". As you know, the suit came from the French deck, and diamonds.

Worms – incredible, but the name of this suit comes from live worms, though very indirectly. The icon is shaped like a heart, in the French deck was called "coeur" heart. In the 18th century in Russia, this suit was called in the French manner "Kera". But later there was a Russian called "worms", the word "scarlet" that is red. And where live worms, you ask?

It's simple – the word "cervice," that is to paint in red, derived from the old technology of this dye from the cochineal insect, as red, or as it is called Carmine pigment. In the old days this creature was called a "bug", that is a worm, as in Russia are not too versed in entomology, beetles and worms from distinguished not always.

The characters, in General, is often presented us with amazing surprises. Many of them we used to see daily, but this of them do not know.