Definition
A psychological condition or social phenomenon, historically documented in southern Italy, where people believed they had been bitten by a tarantula spider and would compulsively dance to cure themselves. The condition may have been a form of mass hysteria or a way for marginalized groups to express themselves.
Example Usage
Medieval physicians struggled to understand tarantism, unsure whether the dancing was a genuine medical response or a cultural phenomenon.
Origin
Named after Taranto, a city in southern Italy where tarantula spiders were prevalent; the compulsive dancing was thought to be a cure.
Fun Fact
The tarantella, a lively Italian and Spanish folk dance, is believed to have originated from the frenzied movements of people supposedly afflicted with tarantism.
Related Terms
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