| Together with this rich heritage these decks of cards | | | | play cards. One pack of this type is known and it was |
| created for education purposes. In 1662 the German | | | | produced in Germany in XVI century. It depicts monks |
| publisher Johann Hoffmann published a book | | | | and nuns, cardinals and lower clergy. The queen in |
| "Reproduced antique art cards with 36 figures created | | | | these cards is presented as abbess. (probably the |
| by Johann Pretorio". The Bavarian National Museum in | | | | influence of Tarot). |
| Munich stores the cards issued by Johann Schtridbeck | | | | The Geographical decks of cards. |
| in 1685 and they can be related to the series "Worthy | | | | The British museum has a pack of cards with counties |
| Men". These cards present outstanding men of the | | | | dated back to 1590. We have already mentioned the |
| Ancient Rome and Greece. Other cards have pictures | | | | pack "Geography" used for teaching Louis XIV. |
| of the Roman emperors starting from Caesar. In 1936 | | | | Probably the childhood impressions of Louis XIV were |
| issued a pack of cards called "History" in honor of | | | | so strong that in 1701 he issued a law on uniform |
| crowning of the English King Edward VIII. The cards | | | | canon of gaming cards for each of nine provinces of |
| were hand-painted and with English text on them. The | | | | France (this way making all the French cards |
| cards depict 53 rulers of England. A very beautiful | | | | somewhat geographical). In 1678 Nürnberg |
| pack is stored in Victoria and Albert Museum: the | | | | publishing house published a book called "European |
| picture on the sleeve is a scene in front of the | | | | geographical card game". Fifty-two pages of the book |
| Coliseum with the Latin inscription - "Testis Temporum". | | | | demonstrate all exiting kingdoms and countries with the |
| Each of the four suits is devoted to one of the | | | | main cities in Europe. Besides the description of the |
| monarchies: coins refer to Assyrians, cups correspond | | | | countries, cities and the most interesting sites, it also |
| to Persians, swords to Greeks, warders to Romans. | | | | tells about the most significant events in these places. |
| Events of the Bible history were also reflected in | | | | The Frankfurt Museum of the Applied Art has a deck |
| decks of the playing cards. The Church did not | | | | of another type of cards: each card has a picture of a |
| approve cards and the artists who chose Bible scene | | | | representative of a particular population group. |
| as subjects of their works, found an interesting | | | | In general context any game is educational as in the |
| interpretation of symbols of card suits. For example, on | | | | course of the game the person performs cognitive |
| German cards called "spiritual deck", the jack of leaves | | | | activity. Virtually every game either commercial or |
| (many eastern and southern Germans prefer decks | | | | gambling incarnates the basis of many sciences: the |
| with hearts, bells, leaves, and acorns (for hearts, | | | | theory of probability, mathematical logic, and of course, |
| diamonds, spades, and clubs) is presented as Jonah | | | | arithmetic and elementary logic. You cannot play the |
| under a green tree and the ace of acorns symbolizes | | | | bridge, poker or chuck-farthing without the latter. |
| the prodigal son who fell as low as that he had to eat | | | | Besides the game indirectly teaches you the basics of |
| acorns together with pigs. | | | | law and ethics and helps to develop your memory, |
| Cards with religious pictures were probably intended to | | | | attention and intelligence. |
| entertain the clergy who as a rule were forbidden to | | | | |