CHESS AND PLAYING-CARDS. 



935 



as in the present Spanish pack. The marks of the numeral suit consist 

 of crossed swords instead of being arranged as on the current Spanish 

 cards. The back of this sheet bears an inscription in pen and ink: 

 Nueva Espanaj 1583. Archivo de Indias, No. 117. Dibujo. 



{h) Photograph of uncut sheet of the same size, imprinted with designs 

 for the backs of eighteen cards. The devices are all different, and 

 embrace a mixture of Mexican and European subjects, including the 

 Emperor Montezuma (fig. 226), his successor, Quahtemotzin, native 

 priests performing various 

 rites, and grotesque figures, 

 apparently of the school of 

 Albert Diirer.' 



Playing-cards, early intro- 

 duced by the conquerors, were 

 known to the ancient Mexi- 

 cans under the amapatolli.'^ 



97. Kaipes. Playing-Cards.' 

 Cadiz, Spain. >.'ine- 

 teenth Century. 



Forty-eight cards of four 

 suits, Co])as^ Oros, Uspadas, 

 audBastofi: "Cui)s," "Money," 

 " Swords," and " Clubs." The 

 court cards are Jiey, CahaJlo, 

 and Sota: "King," "Knight," 

 and "Knave." This is the 

 legitimate Spanish pack, the 

 tens, as is customary, being 

 suppressed. 



According to Willshire, no 

 remains of very old Spanish 

 cards have reached our time. 

 The Hi spano- American cards 

 in the Archives of the Indies 

 at Seville (No. 96) are ])robably 

 the oldest Spanish cards in ex- 

 istence. Spanisli cards are characterized by certain pecularities evinced 

 by actual exam])les and historical allusions. Spanish Tarots are un- 

 known, and it is doubtful if such ever existed. All Spanish packs are 

 of the numeral kind. In a legitimate Spanish pack there are only 

 forty-eight cards instead of fifty-two. There is no Queen among the 



•The early publication of these card-sheets with explanatory notes is intended 

 by tlie Avritev. 



-Compounded of nmatJ, ''paper," with paioJU, a general word for a game of any 

 kind, d(>riv'ed i'vom ])ntoa, "to play a game" (D. G. Briuton). Again wc have (iiiaiih 

 l^aiolli, "wood game" =ohess. 



■'Cat. No. 167574, U.S.N. M. (iilt ..T Dr. K\. lirowii Goode. 



Fig. 226. 



REVERSE OF HISPANOAMERICAN PLATING-CARD. 



(The Emperor Montezuma.) 



Impression, 2| by 4 inclies. 



Mexico, 1583. 



From pliotograpli of original in ArcVves of the Inaies, Seville, Spain. 



