The labyrinth in its simplest form is one with 3 circuits. For some people it is not a “real” labyrinth because the path is leading directly into the centre without being closer and then farther away from it.
As there is no universally valid definition for the labyrinth, we may nevertheless consider this labyrinth as a real one.

The labyrinth with 3 circuits

How do we get one?

The basic pattern to make a 7-circuit classical labyrinth is known, in the meantime, probably by all readers of this blog. (If not, please take a look here.)

No 3-circuit historical labyrinths are known, it is made from a reduction of the basic pattern. If one omits the four angles, only the cross and the four dots are remaining.

The pattern

This reminds a little: Dot, dot, comma, dash – smiley face in a flash . However, it is really so simple to make a labyrinth, and this is why it is a child’s play to draw one this way.

The first arc

The second arc

The third arc

The fourth arc

With two lines

With four lines

Ariadne's Thread

Who realises this by heart, maybe even for the 7-circuit labyrinth, may be called labyrinth expert.

Here a few examples of 3-circuit labyrinths:

Ceramic

Artwork

Graphic art

The first picture shows a gem of Alexander Lautenbacher.

The central picture shows the shoe labyrinth from Schwäbisch Hall. The four “shoe lines” are beginning in the central intersection point.

The last picture shows the graphic on the invitation card from the Labyrinth Society for the Gathering this year.

We know the “staff” of the labyrinth from the Greek mythology: King Minos of Crete, his wife Pasiphaë, her daughter Ariadne, the hero Theseus, the master builder and inventor Daedalos, his son Icarus and the impossible mythological monster Minotaur, part person, part animal for whom the labyrinth was built as a prison.

The origin of the labyrinth is supposed around the Mediterranean at the times of the Minoan civilization. On Cretan coins the classical 7-circuit labyrinth with its unequivocal way into the centre is illustrated, as we know it even today as the “real” labyrinth. However, as a prison for the Minotaur this would have been extremely inexpedient. Only a maze with its dead ends and the bewildering paths could have been suited for this.
Since the British archeologist Sir Arthur John Evans excavated the ruins of the palace of Knossos on the island of Crete, the location is seen as the labyrinth of the Minotaur. But there is not a scientific proof for it till this day.

Did the the labyrinth come into being this way? Is there a historical, real labyrinth in which one could have imprisoned the Minotaur?

Maybe it was rather the cave system from Gortys, also on Crete and not so far from Knossos? It is even called labyrinth.
The best expert of this cave system is certainly the Swiss Thomas Waldmann who has been countless times in the subterranean passageways, knows a lot  and has documented everything on his website “The Cretan Labyrinth Cave”.
In cooperation with him a group of the University of Oxford explored the cave system this summer. They called the project “Labyrinth Lost” and are reporting on it and will present the results of their research.

Maybe this labyrinth cave may be accepted as the labyrinth of the Minotaur?
In any case, a subterranean cave would be a better prison than a physical structure.

Maybe we will never find it out and thus the mystery of the labyrinth will stay alive.

There is a classical labyrinth in a quite special form: The man in the maze. It is to find above all on the baskets of the Native Americans in the US which have presumably also developed this type.

The Native American labyrinth

It is round, but the goal is not in the middle. If one looks exactly, one recognises the four points of inflexion of the classical labyrinth. They also mark four corners of a square.

The subdivision in 8 segments is new, they also allow to think of the spokes of a wheel. Thus gets in addition a movement towards the centre and away from the centre. The order of paths is again 3-2-1-4-7-6-5-8; well-known from the classical type. The “path changes” always occur on the 9th and 10th ring. The 11th is as it were the stationary pole or the hub.

Sand picture

Silver jewellery

You can see a Flash animation on the website mymaze.

Who would like to build such a labyrinth, please here you may find the layout drawing as PDF file to look on, to print or to copy.

Alana Forest from Australia has developed new and creative ideas for the labyrinth.

The ways are crossing and looks like being knotted. At first sight this seems to be a maze, because there are crossroads. However, they are not intended as those. Rather one should always go straight ahead, not branch off  to the right or to the left. One can figure the labyrinth three-dimensional, like the lanes in a motorway interchange.

Hence, the way right into the labyrinth is unequivocal and certainly leads into the centre. The way out from the labyrinth is the same and, nevertheless, another. If I was in the centre of the labyrinth and want to go outside again, I must turn back and take the same path. And, nevertheless, something has changed. The drawings should make this clear.

The way in

The way out

A Chinese proverb says: A way is made by walking. This is applicable here literally.

You will find quite more versions of labyrinth designs on Alana Forest’s website.

Still up to the 11th of November, 2009 there is a stone labyrinth on the “Grasbödele”, directly beside the river and in the middle of the town Schwäbisch Hall.

Labyrinth of stones on the "Grasbödele"

It is part of the exhibition “UMwege LabyrinthWandlungenLebenswege” which is opened up to the 18th of October in the “Altes Schlachthaus” in the Haalstraße 9.

Labyrinth of shoes in the "Altes Schlachthaus"

The events on the subject Labyrinth were organised by the women’s centre Schwäbisch Hall e.V.

Ilse M. Seifried from Vienna lectured about Ariadne’s thread – symbol and experience.

More information on the website www.frauenzentrum-sha.de.

Labyrinth of stones and herbs at Kleincomburg

A permanent labyrinth at Kleincomburg was built in 2005 by a labyrinth group of Schwäbisch Hall. 

You are invited to visit each labyrinth.

More information about the city Schwäbisch Hall here.

On the 3rd International Labyrinth Congress 2005 in Wetzlar (Germany) the October 13 was declared to be the “International Day of the Labyrintht”:

We explain October 13, as the international day of the labyrinth: Starting at 6 p.m. (local time) all interested are invited to meet on a labyrinth of their choice. They know themselves connected with the others at other labyrinth places, “supply” each other with wishes and good energies for living together with all beings on this planet. Hoping and desiring that these forces spread over the whole earth.
It would be beautiful to celebrate this evening with a fire or a light labyrinth.

Let us begin with a virtual flame in the labyrinth.

The University of Kent in south-east England owns a permanent labyrinth since October 2008. So it is the first University in England which has beside two canvas labyrinths indoors a permanent labyrinth on the campus, on-site and outdoors. 

On Youtube you can watch a short video which is classified in the category Comedy. Let us suppose that as expression of the British humor. One can catch the centre in record-breaking 36 seconds.

Dr Jan Sellers led the Labyrinth Project as part of the University’s Creative Campus Initiative. She says:

We are using labyrinths as quiet, structured time and place for reflection, contributing to the student and staff experience, and as part of a creative approach to teaching and learning.

An example for working across disciplines was a workshop by labyrinth facilitator Jay Edge together with poet and lecturer Patricia Debney, Canterbury’s first Poet Laureate.

The design of the turf labyrinth (a 7-circuit Chartres type) is from Jeff Saward and Andrew Wiggins.

It was put into practice by  The Labyrinth Builders with their gardening services Haywood Landscapes Ltd.

The labyrinth seen on the website of  Labyrinth Builders.

The labyrinth seen on the website of the University of Kent.

All in all, a high quality work with high claim.

Source: Labyrinth Pathways, 3rd edition, July 2009

Suitably to the preceding post I have been pushed to another type of quadratic labyrinth.

This week I received (as a TLS member) the third edition of Labyrinth Pathways. At the back the graphic of this labyrinth was illustrated. I suppose that Jeff Saward has designed it.

A quadratic classical labyrinth

It accentuates the middle. The first path also lies on the middle axis as does the last path into the centre. This is possible by a blank (or enclosed) piece in the ways. The four points of inflexion (= the ends of the boundary lines) form no internal square. Both upper ones are located in the diagonals of the whole square.

Though the well-known basic pattern is totally shifted, however, the labyrinth has 7 circuits and the typical path sequence of the classical labyrinth.

The labyrinth offers many possibilities. Hence, it is amazing and fascinating time and again.