How to make a Babylonian Wunderkreis

Among the Wunderkreise there are some variations:

• Some with two entries like the Zeiden Wunderkreis
• Some with one access, but a bifurcation such as the Russian Babylons and the examples of Kaufbeuren or Eberswalde
• Some with a nearly perfect double spiral like the Zeiden Wunderkreis
• Some with a “pulled apart” double spiral such as the Russian Babylons, the example of Eberswalde and some Swedish and Finnish examples

Wunderkreise are compound labyrinths which are constructed from curves around different central points. Both lower turning points are proper for the “labyrinthine” circuits, the ones in the middle for the double spiral.
The double spiral in the Zeiden Wunderkreis is made from two centres lying side by side, and with it a total of only four centres the whole Wunderkreis can be constructed.

Here a Swedish example with a pulled apart double spiral from the book of Hermann Kern:

Petroglyph on the Skarv Island, Source: Hermann Kern, Labyrinthe, 1982, fig. 584 (German edition); Photo: Bo Stiernström, 1976

A geometrically correct construction for a Wunderkreis with pulled apart double spiral requires more centres. Thus I receive for the Russian Babylons a total of six centres.

A sort of prototype with the dimension between axes of 1 m should serve as example. All values are thereby scaleable and differently big labyrinths can be constructed.

Construction elements

Best of all one begins by defining M1. After that one determines the direction of the perpendicular bisectors of the sides, and then constructs step by step the remaining mid points M2 to M6 through building the intersection of the triangle sides from two known points. All thereto necessary measurements are contained in the drawing.

The main dimensions

The radii refer in each case to the middle axis of the boundary lines. The way runs between these boundary lines and, hence, is the empty space between these lines.

The different radii

Here are the above shown components in one drawing as a PDF file to look at, to print or to copy.

Related Posts

• How to make a Wunderkreis, Part 1
• What is a Wunderkreis?
• The Russian Labyrinths (Babylons) on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea
• How to simply make bigger and smaller Labyrinths, Part 2