Today most of us know jigsaw puzzles as playful items that possess a unique artistic beauty but what is their origin and how did they turn into something that people of all ages have loved throughout centuries?
Who Invented The Jigsaw Puzzle and Why
Games that are good for the brain have been around for thousand of years but it was only in the 1760’s that John Spilsbury, a british mapmaker in Berkshire, invented the first commercial jigsaw puzzle. He created what he called ‘dissected maps’ by cutting wooden maps of the world into pieces and sold these to schools as a teaching tool. Teachers used these cut up maps as a way to teach students geography by asking them to put the map together again.
How Did Jigsaw Puzzles Get Their Name
Over time, the use of the ‘dissected maps’ expanded into other teachable subjects and slowly more playful and aesthetic use of them also became common. As its use expanded, the name slowly started changing. In the first expansion of use, 'dissected maps' became known simply as 'dissected puzzles'.
It was only in the late 19th century when the jigsaw was invented that the term jigsaw puzzle was coined. Although a jigsaw has never been used to cut actual puzzles, the name jigsaw puzzle has stuck with us and is now the name that most of us know today's playful and aesthetic puzzles by.
Jigsaw Puzzles and The Future
Having evolved and changed names, the jigsaw puzzle never fails to surprise us. For instance, did you know that the way we enjoy puzzles now, with aesthetic boxes and posters, would have been considered cheating back in the day? That's because jigsaw puzzles were earlier only enjoyed as a guessing game. A moment where participants had to guess both motif and piece position without the help of any visual aids.
Having been around for such a long time, we can be certain that jigsaw puzzles will keep carrying with them the beauty of old times and the ability to adapt with the times. What do you think is next for them?
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