The origin of jigsaw puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles have been around for centuries in various forms, but the modern jigsaw puzzle as we know it today originated in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The first puzzles were actually maps, cut into small pieces and used as educational tools for teaching geography.

In the 1760s, a British engraver and cartographer named John Spilsbury is credited with creating the first jigsaw puzzle. He mounted a map onto a thin sheet of wood, then used a fine saw to cut out the individual countries. The resulting puzzle was used as a way to teach geography to children and was called a "dissected map."

Over the years, jigsaw puzzles became more popular and were produced on a larger scale. The puzzles were made of cardboard, and the pieces were cut using a die-cutting machine. By the early 1900s, jigsaw puzzles had become a popular form of entertainment for people of all ages, and they continue to be a beloved pastime to this day.