What are the Origins of the Suits of Playing Cards?

French card makers around the 15th century introduced the familiar suits of hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades. The designs were probably inspired by everyday country life, which symbolized hearts, acorns, bells and leaves respectively.





Edit:


The origins of playing cards are indeed much older. But here we are talking about the suits, namely hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades, which were introduced by the French. The only puzzle is nobody can be sure what the suits symbolized. Similarly, we can’t be sure of many things around us.

What are the Origins of the Suits of Playing Cards?
The hearts shape represent a woman's buttocks - then it's imagination time.
Reply:Short answer is that no-one knows. Origins are older than mentioned in other answers and are certainly also linked to the suits in Tarot cards.





Hearts - Cups


Spades - Swords


Diamonds - Coins


Clubs - Staves





Ask a hundred "experts", you'll get a hundred answers. I've seen The Egyptians, The Chinese, Early Christians and many others get the blame.
Reply:They come from French decks of cards. In French decks, the suits represent the four classes:





Spades represent nobility


Hearts stand for the clergy


Diamonds represent merchants


Clubs are peasants.
Reply:Well, originally, all the cards were naked but the Catholic Church went all nutso and demanded that they wear suits. This happened right after Pope Looney the IV decreed that henceforth, Donald Duck would wear a shirt but no pants and Mickey Mouse would wear pants but no shirt...
Reply:I believe that it began with the French in the 1840's. The four suits have stayed in place mainly because decks could be made by stencil instead of woodcuts. This made it much easier to make standard decks.





Certain cards do have some historical significance - The King of spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs are David, Charles, Caesars and Alexander, respectively.