My search tells me there have just been a few brief mentions to Mamluk cards, so I hope I am not covering old ground with this, but I thought these images
very interesting, in respect of the
origins of the species
http://it.geocities.com/a_pollett/cards64.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Musee/7685/cardsc.htm
What I also find very interesting is the fact that these were probably not even 'new' then. Marsh Arabs for example have been living the same way, doing the same things for thousands of years.
Also interesting is the route the arab/african/islamic traders would take. Documentary evidence shows them in Venice. Thus it would not be too hard to speculate how these cards became 'italianacised'.
Just a few thoughts
A.
