A semantic framework for mapping archetypes across mythology, psychology, divination, and culture using an 8-dimensional coordinate system.
The Archetypal Context Protocol is a relational ontology that positions archetypes—gods, symbols, psychological patterns, and cultural figures—in a shared coordinate space. This enables:
- Cross-cultural comparison: Find the Greek equivalent of a Norse god
- Pattern discovery: Which archetypes cluster together across systems?
- Transformation mapping: What does The Innocent evolve into?
- Correspondence validation: Does Tarot-Astrology mapping hold mathematically?
Every archetype is positioned on eight continuous spectrums (0.0 to 1.0):
| Axis | 0.0 (Negative Pole) | 1.0 (Positive Pole) |
|---|---|---|
| Order ↔ Chaos | Structure, Law | Entropy, Freedom |
| Creation ↔ Destruction | Genesis, Building | Ending, Transformation |
| Light ↔ Shadow | Conscious, Known | Unconscious, Hidden |
| Active ↔ Receptive | Yang, Initiating | Yin, Responding |
| Individual ↔ Collective | Self, Ego | Group, Transpersonal |
| Ascent ↔ Descent | Sky, Spirit | Earth, Matter |
| Stasis ↔ Transformation | Preservation | Metamorphosis |
| Voluntary ↔ Fated | Free Choice | Destiny, Necessity |
Culture-transcendent patterns that all specific figures instantiate:
Creator Destroyer Preserver Trickster Hero Self
Great Mother Great Father Divine Child Lover Warrior
Magician Sovereign Maiden Crone Wise Elder
Psychopomp Healer Rebel Outcast Ancestor Monster Twin
Cultural figures instantiate these with weights:
{
"name": "Hermes",
"instantiates": [
{"primordial": "trickster", "weight": 0.85},
{"primordial": "psychopomp", "weight": 0.65},
{"primordial": "magician", "weight": 0.45}
]
}ACP currently includes 580 fully-mapped archetypes across four domains:
| System | Entries |
|---|---|
| Tarot Major Arcana | 22 |
| Tarot Minor Arcana | 56 |
| I Ching Trigrams | 8 |
| I Ching Hexagrams | 64 |
| Zodiac Signs | 12 |
| Planets | 10 |
| Sephiroth | 10 |
| Chakras | 7 |
| Elder Futhark Runes | 24 |
| Classical Elements | 5 |
| System | Entries |
|---|---|
| Jungian Core Archetypes | 12 |
| Enneagram Types | 9 |
| Hero's Journey Stages | 18 |
| Vogler Character Archetypes | 8 |
| Spiral Dynamics | 8 |
| System | Entries |
|---|---|
| Brand Archetypes | 12 |
| Digital/Internet Archetypes | 10 |
| Superhero Archetypes | 12 |
| Angelic Hierarchy | 9 |
| Pantheon | Entries |
|---|---|
| Greek (Olympians) | 22 |
| Norse (Aesir/Vanir) | 12 |
| Egyptian (Netjeru) | 17 |
| Celtic | 13 |
| Hindu | 15 |
| Japanese (Kami) | 17 |
| Chinese | 19 |
| Mesopotamian | 13 |
| African (Orisha) | 16 |
| Mesoamerican | 17 |
| Slavic | 16 |
| Polynesian | 17 |
| Native American | 14 |
| Finnish (Kalevala) | 14 |
| Australian (Dreamtime) | 8 |
| Incan/Andean | 17 |
| Persian/Zoroastrian | 18 |
ACP/
├── schema/ # Core definitions
│ ├── primordials.jsonld # 22 meta-archetypes
│ ├── axes.jsonld # 8 spectral dimensions
│ ├── relationships.jsonld # 17 relationship types
│ └── dynamics.jsonld # Physics-like rules
│
├── calibration/ # Reference frame
│ ├── origin.jsonld # Center point (0.5 all axes)
│ ├── poles/ # 16 axis extremes
│ └── primordial_matrix.jsonld
│
├── archetypes/ # Cultural pantheons (v1.1 COMPLETE)
│ ├── greek/ # Olympians (22)
│ ├── norse/ # Aesir, Vanir (12)
│ ├── egyptian/ # Netjeru (17)
│ ├── hindu/ # Trimurti, Devas (15)
│ ├── celtic/ # Tuatha Dé Danann (13)
│ ├── japanese/ # Kami (17)
│ ├── chinese/ # Chinese pantheon (19)
│ ├── african/ # Orisha (16)
│ ├── mesopotamian/ # Sumerian/Babylonian (13)
│ ├── polynesian/ # Pacific deities (17)
│ ├── mesoamerican/ # Aztec/Maya (17)
│ ├── slavic/ # Slavic pantheon (16)
│ ├── native_american/ # Indigenous traditions (14)
│ ├── finnish/ # Kalevala (14)
│ ├── australian/ # Dreamtime (8)
│ ├── incan/ # Andean deities (17)
│ └── persian/ # Zoroastrian (18)
│
├── divination/ # Symbolic systems (v1.0 COMPLETE)
│ ├── tarot/ # Major & Minor Arcana
│ ├── astrology/ # Zodiac, Planets
│ ├── iching/ # Trigrams, Hexagrams
│ ├── runes/ # Elder Futhark
│ ├── kabbalah/ # Sephiroth
│ └── chakras/ # Energy centers
│
├── psychology/ # Psychological frameworks (v1.0 COMPLETE)
│ ├── jungian/ # Core archetypes
│ ├── enneagram/ # 9 types
│ ├── narrative/ # Hero's Journey, Vogler
│ └── developmental/ # Spiral Dynamics
│
├── modern/ # Contemporary patterns (v1.0 COMPLETE)
│ ├── cultural/ # Brand archetypes
│ ├── digital/ # Internet archetypes
│ ├── pop_culture/ # Superhero archetypes
│ └── spiritual/ # Angelic hierarchy
│
├── legacy/ # Archived planning docs
│
└── tools/ # Validation & exploration
├── validate.js # Schema validator
├── explorer.html # Interactive browser
└── validator.html # Browser-based validator
cd ACP
python -m http.server 8000
# Open http://localhost:8000/tools/explorer.html# Open http://localhost:8000/tools/validator.html
# Click "Run Validation"node tools/validate.jsQuery: All archetypes where instantiates includes "primordial:trickster" with weight > 0.7
Results:
- The Fool (Tarot) - 0.90
- Vogler Trickster - 1.0
- Jungian Trickster - 0.95
- The Viral Meme (Digital) - 0.80
- The Hacker (Digital) - 0.85
Query: Archetypes within distance 0.3 of The Fool (Tarot)
Results:
- Divine Child (primordial) - 0.18
- The Innocent (Brand) - 0.15
- Jungian Child - 0.20
Query: Hero's Journey progression
Path: Ordinary World → Call to Adventure → ... → Freedom to Live
Axes involved: stasis-transformation, light-shadow, individual-collective
17 typed connections between archetypes:
| Relationship | Description |
|---|---|
POLAR_OPPOSITE |
Opposite end of a spectral axis |
SHADOW |
Repressed/distorted form |
COMPLEMENT |
Balances and completes |
EVOLUTION |
Transforms into (forward) |
DEVOLUTION |
Transforms into (backward) |
CULTURAL_ECHO |
Same pattern, different system |
INSTANTIATES |
Embodies meta-archetype |
TENSION |
Productive dialectical pull |
MIRRORS |
Same pattern, different domain |
The system enforces coherence:
- All coordinates must be in [0.0, 1.0]
- No two archetypes can occupy identical coordinates (min distance: 0.05)
- Polar opposites must differ by >0.5 on their axis
- Cultural echoes include fidelity scores (0.0-1.0)
- All archetypes must instantiate at least one primordial
Writers & Worldbuilders
- Design characters with archetypal depth
- Map character arcs to transformation paths
- Find archetypal gaps in your narrative
Researchers
- Quantitative comparative mythology
- Pattern analysis across cultures
- Validate correspondence claims
Therapists & Coaches
- Map client patterns to archetypes
- Identify shadow dynamics
- Track transformation journeys
AI & Narrative Engines (via integration)
- Procedural character generation
- Story structure validation
- Dynamic myth generation
Target: ~1,200 archetypes across 60+ systems | v1.0 = complete data + API
- Divination: Tarot, I Ching, Astrology, Runes, Kabbalah, Chakras, Elements
- Psychology: Jungian, Enneagram, Hero's Journey, Vogler, Spiral Dynamics
- Modern: Brand, Digital, Superhero, Angels
- Interactive browser explorer & validation tooling
- 17 pantheons (Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Celtic, Hindu, Japanese, Chinese, Mesopotamian, African, Mesoamerican, Slavic, Polynesian, Native American, Finnish, Australian, Incan, Persian)
- Cross-pantheon relationship mapping
- Roman (Dii Consentes) — ~20 entries
- Buddhist (Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Wrathful Deities) — ~30 entries
- Vodou (Rada, Petro, Ghede Loa) — ~19 entries
- Chinese Zodiac, Vedic Rāśis, Nakṣatras, Celtic Tree Zodiac
- Mayan Tzolk'in, Aztec Tōnalpōhualli, Native American Totems
- Chinese Wu Xing, Ogham Tree Alphabet, Alchemical Archetypes
- MBTI, Socionics, Keirsey, Four Temperaments, DISC, Big Five
- Holland Codes, Transactional Analysis, Carol Pearson, Psychosynthesis
- Propp's Roles, Seven Basic Plots, Commedia dell'Arte
- KWML, Triple Goddess, Bolen's Gods/Goddesses, Caroline Myss
- Complete ~1,200 archetype database
- REST/GraphQL API
- 3D spectral space visualization
- Community contribution system
Note: ACP is a database and visualization tool. Narrative engine integration is planned as a separate project.
This project uses JSON-LD for semantic web compatibility. To add an archetype:
- Determine which primordial(s) it instantiates
- Calculate spectral coordinates (0.0-1.0 on all 8 axes)
- Define relationships to existing archetypes
- Run validation:
node tools/validate.js - Submit PR
See CLAUDE.md for detailed schema documentation.
The system is modeled on real physics principles:
- Conservation: Archetypal energy is conserved during transformation
- Polar Attraction: Opposites complete each other
- Activation Energy: Transformations require threshold conditions
- Superposition: Individuals hold multiple archetypal positions simultaneously
See FUNDAMENTAL_LAWS.md for the complete physics layer.
MIT License - Use freely, attribute kindly.
"All the gods, all the heavens, all the hells, are within you." — Joseph Campbell