See also labyrinth (inner ear), Labyrinth (movie) and Labyrinth seal
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate maze constructed for King Minos of Crete and designed by the legendary artificer Daedalus to hold the Minotaur, a creature that was half human and half bull, eventually killed by Theseus. The Minoan dynasty of King Minos was called "the house of the double axe"; labyrinth is a word of pre-greek ("Pelasgian") origin absorbed by classical Greek, and is probably related to labrys, a word for "double axe". Though no site in Crete has been positively identified as the Minotaur's Labyrinth, we do find 3rd century BC coins, from Knossos in Crete, imprinted with the labyrinth symbol. The predominant labyrinth form during this period is the simple 7-circuit style known as the classical.
The term labyrinth has come to be applied to any unicursal maze of a particular circular shape. The principal two designs are the classical (illustrated here) and the medieval; although there are numerous variations, the basic shape is easily discerned. The term is often used interchangeably with maze, but a maze is a puzzle with choices of path and direction, while a unicursal labyrinth has only a single path to the centre.
The oldest known examples of the labyrinth design are small simple petroglyphs (stone carvings) perhaps dating back 3000 years. These labyrinthine petroglyphs are found in numerous places across the world, from Syria to Ireland.
In Roman mosaics the simple classical labyrinth is transformed into the meander border pattern, squared off as the art medium requires, but still recognisable. Often an image of a bull-man, a minotaur, appears in the centre of these mosaic labyrinths. Roman meander patterns gradually developed in complexity towards the four-fold shape that is now familiarly known as the medieval form.
The full flowering of the medieval labyrinth design came about during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries with the grand pavement labyrinths of the gothic cathedrals, most notably Chartres and Amiens in Northern France. It is this version of the design that is thought to be the inspiration for the many secular turf labyrinths in the UK, such as Wing in Rutland, Hilton in Cambridgeshire, Alkborough Turf Maze, and Saffron Walden in Essex.
Over the same period some 500 or more non-ecclesiastical labyrinths were constructed in Scandinavia. These labyrinths, generally in coastal areas, are marked out with stones most often in the simple classical form. They are thought to have been constructed by early fishing communities, to trap malevolent trolls/winds in the labyrinth's coils in order to ensure a safe fishing expedition. There are also stone labyrinths on the Isles of Scilly, although none of them are known to date back as far as the Scandinavian ones.
There are remarkable examples of the labyrinth shape from a whole range of ancient and disparate cultures. The symbol has appeared in all forms and media (petroglyphs, classic-form, medieval-form, pavement, turf and basketry) at some time, throughout most parts of the world, from Java, Native North and South America, Australia, India and Nepal.
Modern Labyrinth Building
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the labyrinth symbol, which has inspired a revival in labyrinth building notably at Willen Park, Milton Keynes; Grace Cathedral, San Francisco; and Tapton Park, Chesterfield.
Modern Interpretations of the Greek Labyrinth
The myth of the labyrinth has in recent times transformed into a stage play by Ilinka Crvenkovska in which exploring notions of a man's ability to control his own fate, Theseus in an act of suicide is killed by the Minotaur only to be killed himself by the horrified towns people.
The story has also since evolved into The Labyrinth by Maja Hill - an interactive story using 3D computer graphics.
Jorge Luis Borges, an Argentine author, was entranced with the concept of a labyrinth, and used it extensively throughout his short stories. His modern literary use of the labyrinth has inspired a great many other authors in their own works (e.g. Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves).
Cultural Meanings
Cultural meaning and interpretation of the labyrinth as a symbol is quite interesting. Shortly put, prehistoric labyrinths serve either as traps for malevolent spirits or as defined paths for ritual dances. During Medieval times the labyrinth symbolized a hard path to the God with a clearly defined center (God) and one entrance (birth). Starting from the Renaissance labyrinths lose their central point - the person in the labyrinth is its center, a reflection of humanistic teachings. At last, nowadays the labyrinths moved into higher layers of reality - the Internet with its hypertext feature being a good example (the symbol of labyrinth merges with a symbol of book). Mazes often play a major role in modern computer games, e.g. the Lara Croft series.