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ORIGINS OF THE GAME.
There are varied origin theories for the game of Mus, but what
is certain is that Mus has been played for at least 200 years.
Historical documents make reference to it as a "noble game of
cards." Most investigators agree that it is of Spanish
origin
(although one source credited its origin to the former
Austria-Hungarian Empire). The main argument, however, is where in
Spain did it originate?
Some credit the Basque country as its birthplace, while others
maintain it came from the Spanish region of Castile. Both these
areas have a high number of players.
The main argument in favor
of Basque Country origin are the words used in the game that are of
Basque origin (e.g., Hordago, Hamarrekoa ...). If the game
would have originated in Castile, why would they have imported
Basque words into the vocabulary if not because the game itself
came from the Basque Country?
From its origins to the present changes have continued, and the
game is played differently depending on the community. So
in some places the game is played straight up with 4 kings and 4 aces,
while elsewhere the twos become aces, and the threes become
kings. There is also variety in the
signs used to signal your partner about your hand.
Source:
www.elMus.org |
