Mazes

Mazes are quite often a component in Horror movies (remember the Hedge Maze in Stephen King's The Shining ?) and are often associated with Castles and Medieval Europe. A fair amount of patience (and a good chuck of land) would be needed if a person wanted to construct a hedge Maze similar to those of days of yore.

Mazes have been around since the Middle Ages, if not longer. Many legends attribute the Minotaur of Greek mythology to living in a Maze while other accounts say it was a Labyrinth. (remember, Labyrinths have one path to the center while a Maze may have many paths, some of which are dead ends, leading to the center).

The Mazes of Medieval Europe were quite often constructed in gardens using hedges as the walls. As time passed, the Mazes became more difficult. These early Mazes are what is called, Simply-Connected Mazes. They are created from one continuous wall to the center. A person can solve the Maze by keeping one hand on this wall and heading toward the center, with numerous detours along the way, of course.

In the early 19th century, Maze design became more difficult. The center goal of the Maze was isolated by a wall of barriers, physically unconnected to the rest of the Maze. A person could not solve it by the 'hand-on' method. These Multiply-Connected Mazes can be developed into very intricate designs with very few dead-ends.

The next evolution of the Maze was the Three-Dimensional Maze. Most Mazes may appear to have three dimensions but in reality they have only two. The third dimension was added by including bridges and underpasses to the design. These types of Mazes have been around since the 19th century but have only become popular in the last 30 years. Many of the Corn Mazes that can be found around the country in the Autumn are three-dimensional Mazes.

The Conditional Movement Maze has also become a reality in the last 30 years. The next move of the participant is dictated by rules or instructions that pertain to the current position of the participant. These Mazes are quite intellectually challenging. (Kinda reminds me of a Freeway Mousetrap!)

And the latest in the evolution of the Maze is the Interactive Maze, quite often found at Amusement Parks. In these, the Maze will respond to the actions of the participants using motion sensors, timed barriers, and other mechanisms that provide a difficult journey to the goal.

To read more on Mazes, click here.

The Labyrinth

Labyrinths have been around for hundreds of years. It is an ancient symbol which relates to wholeness. They were used as a meditation tool as well as part of the spiritual process for many cultures throughout the world.

The most famous Labyrinth is the Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth near Paris, France. It was constructed in the early 13th century and is quite complex, measuring over 40 ft. in diameter. It is known that Labyrinths located in the French Cathedrals were the scene of Easter dances which were carried out by the clergy.

But Labyrinths are not unique to the European culture. They are an important theme in the culture of the Native Americans located in the Southwest portion of the United States. The "Man in the Maze" motif can be seen in the pottery, basketry, silverwork and petroglyphs of this region.

Anyone can create a Labyrinth in their yard or garden. It can be as simple as cutting the pattern into an over-grown lawn with your weedeater, or outlining the pattern with rocks, painting on concrete, or even installing plantings around the walkways. For more info on how to create a Labyrinth, click here.

**Special note** Labyrinths should not be confused with Mazes (we'll have more on Mazes at a later date). Labyrinths have only one pathway to the center while a Maze will have choices in the pathway, many of which are dead ends. To read more on Labyrinths, click here.