Interesting distinction between labyrinths and mazes

Krug

Krug

Newshound
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/garden/18BOOK.html?pagewanted=2&8hpib

Only aerial views reveal the right paths to the centers of labyrinths and mazes. (Don't know the difference? Labyrinths have only one switchback trail; mazes are riddled with dead-ends and alternatives.) The German photographer Jürgen Hohmuth hauled a mini-zeppelin across Europe to loft a camera over some 60 puzzles, then gathered his photographs in "Labyrinths & Mazes" (Prestel, $55). The earliest labyrinths date from the Bronze Age, and were probably used in fertility rituals. Walking their hairpin turns was also believed to ward off wolves and gnomes. Designers of medieval cathedrals laid flagstone labyrinths to symbolize journeys to faith, and Victorian houseguests at aristocrats' estates expected to be amused by clipped-hedge mazes. Mr. Hohmuth found recent versions of both made of hay bales, hemp, beer crates and green plastic brooms. Almost all the attractions in the book are open to the public; perhaps the next edition will list addresses or Web sites.
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So... now you know. ;)
 

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So weird...I was just reading this book at lunch today. It's got some cool pictures and info, but there's a lot of new age mumbo crap in there too ("As I walked to the center of the labyrinth, my stress and self-absorption seemed to melt away. I found my god essence in the labyrinth."

:rolleyes:
 



I love labyrinths; I think it's a holdover from reading about Amber's pattern. Recently in my game, a labyrinth outlined by impaled living brains on psi-active spikes powered a mindflayer city's defenses. :D
 

Piratecat said:
I love labyrinths; I think it's a holdover from reading about Amber's pattern. Recently in my game, a labyrinth outlined by impaled living brains on psi-active spikes powered a mindflayer city's defenses. :D
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This will all be in a module soon yah? :D
 

gets rid of gnomes, you say? hmmmm, that could get rid of a few certain someones here. someone should tell Piratecat ;)
 

Piratecat said:
I love labyrinths; I think it's a holdover from reading about Amber's pattern. Recently in my game, a labyrinth outlined by impaled living brains on psi-active spikes powered a mindflayer city's defenses. :D
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Ick. Cool, but ick.
 

Felix said:
What exactly is a switchback trail?

Is that where Jack Nicholson gets frozen in the Shining?:D
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Nah, that was a hedge maze.

A switchback trail is just the winding trail in a labyrinth. The difference between a maze and a labyrinth is that a maze has dead ends and such, while a labyrinth just has one path that keeps, ummm, switching back until you reach the center....ooh god, the center....I'm losing my concept of time and self-absorption.....BBUUUUDDDHHHAAAAA!!!!!!!
 

The labyrinth at Chartres:
 

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