Rosanne
There is a man called Stewart Culin (July 13, 1858 - 1929) and he had an interest in games/gambling and divination.
I have an interest in the same things and was looking at Tarot from the aspect of the original Ludo game called Parcshisi which is a cross and circle game.
Now Mr Culin thought.......
Now as we know Playing cards and Tarot also has four suits as does all cross and circle games like Parchisi (and Ludo). Cross and circle boards may suggest a variety of mystical, symbolic, or esoteric designs such as mandalas; sun and earth symbols.
One thing in the History of Parchisi is the following.........
Culin apparently thought this was Divination rather than a race game.
1896: Chess and Playing-Cards (monograph)
Annual Report of the U.S. National Museum, Washington, D. C.: United States Government Printing Office, pp. 665-942. Comprehensive exploration of chess, playing cards, and other table and board games as played in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. Written by Stewart Culin.
I have not been able to find this 952 page Journal. I would like to read it.
Anybody know anything of it?
Rosanne
I have an interest in the same things and was looking at Tarot from the aspect of the original Ludo game called Parcshisi which is a cross and circle game.
Now Mr Culin thought.......
Many modern discussions of the religious, magical, or divinatory genesis of board games stem from the work of Stewart Culin who postulated a single source: the "classification of all things according to the Four Directions" by means of divinatory arrows, and that "survivals of these magical processes constitute our present games" (including all dice, board, card, and domino games). He quotes, for example, an "account of the Zuñi War Gods" which explicitly links divination, the 4 quarters of the earth, and games.
Now as we know Playing cards and Tarot also has four suits as does all cross and circle games like Parchisi (and Ludo). Cross and circle boards may suggest a variety of mystical, symbolic, or esoteric designs such as mandalas; sun and earth symbols.
One thing in the History of Parchisi is the following.........
The Indian Emperor Akbar I of the 16th century Mogul Empire, apparently played pachisi on great courts constructed of inlaid marble. He would sit in the center of the court and throw the cowry shells. On the red and white squares around him, 16 beautiful women from the harem, appropriately coloured, would move around according to his directions.
Culin apparently thought this was Divination rather than a race game.
1896: Chess and Playing-Cards (monograph)
Annual Report of the U.S. National Museum, Washington, D. C.: United States Government Printing Office, pp. 665-942. Comprehensive exploration of chess, playing cards, and other table and board games as played in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. Written by Stewart Culin.
I have not been able to find this 952 page Journal. I would like to read it.
Anybody know anything of it?
Rosanne