[HPforGrownups] replies to many, many, many posts

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 170130

Catlady:
>Amanda predicted in
><< (2) Hermione discovers the tarot and thus they realize they are
>looking for, among other things, Rowena Ravenclaw's wand. >>
>
>*If* the Founders' souvenirs are based on the Tarot (and I admit that
>sword, cup, and locket fit pretty well to sword, cup, and coin), then
>I object that Rowling gave the water symbol (cup) to the Founder of
>the earth house (Hufflepuff) and the earth symbol (the locket) to the
>Founder of the water house (Slytherin). 
>
>Tarot fans have an ongoing disagreement whether Swords or Rods is Air
>or Fire, but who could disagreement that Gryffindor is the fire house
>and Ravenclaw is the air house? I'd love for brainy Ravenclaw's
>souvenir to be a pen or a book or a scroll.

Bart:
While the concept of elemental properties of entities, such as the so-called "4 elements" (as opposed to elemental composition, such as the chemical elements), existed in the distant past, Tarot is a relatively recent innovation, requiring paper and printing (probably not earlier than the 15th century). In other words, while the houses may have been based on the 4 elements, they were almost certainly not based on Tarot. 

Bart