CHESS AND PLAYING-CARDS. 



925 



Wazir a,nd Shah. The suits, which are divided iuto "superior" and 

 "inferior," beshbur and kumbur, are as follows: 



SUPERIOR. 



Taj, "crown." 

 Soofed, "white." 

 iShumsher, "saber." 

 Gholavi, "slave." 



INFERIOR. 



Chunq, "harp." 

 Soorkh, "red." 

 Burat, "diploma." 

 Quimash, "merchandise." 



The colors of the grounds in the same order are yellow, black, red, 

 yellow, green, red, brown. Four additional packs of these cards in the 

 University Museum agree with the above in number and design, varying 



Fig. 224. 



HINDU PLAYING CARD (Pdraf^i-Rdmd). 



Cat. No. li)i:», Museum of Aichieology, University of Pi-nnsylvauia. 



only in diameter from 1-^^ to 1|| inches, and in fineness of execution. 

 One pack (Oat. No. 19134), apparently more ancient, is distinguished 

 by superior finish, both in painting and lacquer. While the colors of the 

 grounds of all these cards, with reference to the suit-marks, are prac- 

 tically the same, they differ in this respect from tlie similar pack in the 

 Museum of the Royal Asiatic Society described by Chatto,' who gives 

 a description of the game, taken from the Calcutta Magazine for 1815. 

 The preceding cards may be regarded Persian or Mohammedau in 



1 Facts and Speculations on the Origin and History of Playing-Cards, London, 1868, 

 p. 35. 



