replies to many, many, many posts

[Dana]

No: HPFGUIDX 170148

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. 

Dana:
That is not correct tarot (the rules of tarot not the card reading) was 
already used by the ancient Egyptians and has its origin in alchemy and 
the Emerald tables of Thot which are later contributed to Hermes. So 
eventhough tarot was not known in the concept as we know it now, its 
concepts originate from acient believes.

So JKR using this ancient concept is not only extremly likely to built 
her founder elements from she even uses the same elements that are used 
in tarot today. Fire - wands, air - swords, water - cups, earth - 
pentecals. JKR just has fun with it by jugging them around but the idea 
is still very similar. She even uses the name of one tarot card to name 
one of the chaptera in her book. The lightning-struck tower which is 
actually so much fun because the card predicts precisly what the reader 
will do when he receives such a card in a tartot reading - being in 
totaly denial ;o)

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/learn/meanings/tower.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism

Dana