Shields (suit)
{{Short description|Playing card suit from Switzerland}}
{{Other uses|Shields (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox card suit
| image = Bouclier jeu de carte.svg
| image_size = 120
| image_alt =
| caption =
| native_name = {{langx|de|Schilten}}
| deck = Swiss-suited playing cards
| invented = 15th century
}}
Shields ({{langx|de|Schilten}}), also called Escutcheons, is one of the four playing card suits in a deck of Swiss-suited playing cards. This suit was invented in 15th century German speaking lands and is a survivor from a large pool of experimental suit signs created to replace the Latin suits. One example from the mid-15th century is a five-suited deck with the Latin suits plus a suit of shields.{{cite book|last1=Dummett|first1=Michael|title=The Game of Tarot|date=1980|publisher=Duckworth|location=London|pages=10–32}} Another example, is the Hofämterspiel, a medieval handmade deck from 1453 to 1457 where each suit depicts shields carrying different coat of arms of four kingdoms: France, Germany, Bohemia and Hungary.
It is equivalent to the German Hearts (suit),{{cite web|url=https://www.pagat.com/class/swiss.html|title=Games played with Swiss suited cards|last=McLeod|first=John|website=pagat.com|access-date=July 22, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://playingcarddecks.com/blogs/all-in/history-playing-cards-modern-deck|title=The History of Playing Cards: The Evolution of the Modern Deck|last=Roya|first=Will|date=
October 16, 2018|website=playingcarddecks.com|access-date=July 26, 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://a_pollett.tripod.com/cards10.htm|last=Pollett|first=Andrea|title=Switzerland: Swiss Suits|website=Andy's Playing Cards|access-date=July 28, 2024}} as both the shields and hearts suits lower halves end in a point. The deuce of shields also feature hearts in its design.
Characteristics
As its name suggests, the shield symbol is a stylized depiction of a warrior's shield in yellow. The coat of arms varies from deck to deck.
In the German language, the shield is called {{lang|de|Schilten}}.
Shields appear as one of four suits alongside feathers, hats, and bells in several incomplete packs made in Basel. The dates for these packs range from 1470 to about 1529. The 10-rank card utilizes pips rather than the characteristic banner.
Shields appear as one of four suits alongside crowns, bells, and acorns in a set of mutilated cards possibly made in Alsace in 1480.
The standard four Swiss-German suits of shields, acorns, hawkbells, and flowers were found in playing cards inside a book cover (circa 1530) made in Basel. These cards feature the distinguishing banner replacing the 10-rank, and have the three court cards: King seated in a throne, Ober, and Unter.{{cite web|url=https://www.wopc.co.uk/switzerland/antique-swiss-playing-cards-c.1530|title=Antique Swiss Playing Cards, c.1530|last=Wintle|first=Simon|date=July 3, 1996|website=www.wopc.co.uk|publisher=The World of Playing Cards|access-date=August 26, 2024}} This Swiss-German suit system is believed to have developed earlier with the earliest example dated between 1433 and 1451, though only cards from the shields suit survived.
Cards
The following images depict the suit of Shields from an 1850 Swiss-suited pack:
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - 2 of Shields.jpg|Deuce
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - 6 of Shields.jpg|6
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - 7 of Shields.jpg|7
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - 8 of Shields.jpg|8
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - 9 of Shields.jpg|9
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - Banner of Shields.jpg|Banner
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - Under of Shields.jpg|Unter
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - Ober of Shields.jpg|Ober
File:Swiss card deck - 1850 - King of Shields.jpg|King