A 3-Circuit 3-Axle Labyrinth

In an older post about the 3-circuit labyrinth I had announced a continuation. Here it is:

There the labyrinth had a hexagonal form; but the round shape is also possible and than it looks like this:

The 3-circuit, 3-axle labyrinth in round shape

The origin was a 3-circuit labyrinth type Knossos to which, however, at two places “obstacles” were inserted. This is only possible at these both places: first between the 3rd and 2nd circuit, and then between the 2nd and the 1st circuit. The axes must not be applied under an angle of 120°. It is only important which circuit is split through the barriers. One can find out that by trial and error.

Now the question: When and from whom was “invented” this type of  labyrinth?

In Hermann Kern’s book “Labyrinths” triple labyrinths and those with three sectors are mentioned, but no historical labyrinth has exactly the alignment shown here.

It belongs to the multi-axle labyrinths, and these were first the Roman labyrinths. However, they mostly had 4 sectors.

The medieval labyrinths had more circuits and also more “barriers”. Such a simple labyrinth did not appear amongst them.

So it is a contemporary labyrinth. Presumably it has been developed by different people and to different times independently of each other.

Jeff Saward has informed me that he has drawn those and similar outlines together with Jim Kimmis about 30 years ago without publishing them largely.

Andreas Frei considers this labyrinth to be the simplest form of a type which he describes as “serpentines in layers”. From him I have also got the tip to a labyrinth in Aarau from 1987.

In the USA John Ridder has sketched a 7-circuit and a 3-circuit labyrinth divided into three parts about 10 years ago. Together with Warren Lynn he has developed under the name “3 circuit Triune” a canvas labyrinth with the title “The story Path labyrinth” especially for children.

Here are still more labyrinths of this type, each in an other shape:

in square shape

in pentagonal shape

in heptagonal shape

in octagonal shape

Even other forms are imaginable. Also one could arrange the axes at an other place. Or make the middle bigger or smaller. Or make the boundary lines and the paths in different width. (Almost) no limits are set to your imagination.

Here finally the triangular one:

3 circuits, 3 axes, triangular

Related Post

• The Hexagonal Classical 3 Circuit Labyrinth

Further Links

• Labyrinth at the Kantonsspital Aarau from 1987
• The Story Path Labyrinth
• Andreas Frei: Serpentinen in Schichten (in German)