5A. Medieval labyrinths, examples

In this section some examples of different types of Medieval and church labyrinths will be shown, picked from the catalogue in the big splendid book “Through the Labyrinth” of Hermann Kern (in English 2000, in German 1982). (If I am not permitted to bring those copies I shall withdraw this page).

The very famous labyrinth type from the medieval period is the Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth described in section 5 of this website, with the possibility to make a whole system of chartres style labyrinths as shown in section 6. A number of medieval labyrinths approach somehow the chartres style as we shall see in this section here.

The labyrinths in this section can be classified in 3 groups:

• Otfrid labyrinths: one “stem” to the centre with small radial “end-lanes”, and a “crown” of big 360° lanes.
• Jericho labyrinths: mostly 7 walls labyrinths, for the holy city of Jericho in old Israel, of otfrid style or any appropriate style. Here included 2 troja examples in fig. m6 and m7, and 1 chartres example in fig. m8.
• Chartres approach-style labyrinths: lanes with e.g. U-turns at quadrant lines and the like.

The first labyrinth below in fig. m1 is a simple otfrid labyrinth with 7 walls (= 6 lanes) for Jericho.

Contents of figures (photos):

	from YEAR	SIZE	TYPE /wave
Fig. m1: Jericho, Ramban	ca. 1270	Ci18-6m6	otfrid 3 B
Fig. m2: Otfrid’s Labyrinth	871	Ci26-4m11	Otfrid 3 C
Fig. m3: Augsburg otfrid labyrinth	1480	Ci33-11m11	otfrid 2 D
Fig. m4: Jericho, Farhi Bible	1382	Ci16-4m6	otfrid 1 F
Fig. m5: Jericho, Zikkaron Jerusalajim	1743	Ci20-8m6	otfrid B + C
Fig. m6: Jericho, Lune	ca. 1175	Ci16-2 m7	troja 2
Fig. m7: Jericho, Abruzzi	822	Si15-1m7	troja 2
Fig. m8: Jericho, Chartres	ca. 1150	Ci30-8ch11	chartres
Fig. m9: Lucca chartres	ca. 1200	Ci26-4ch11	chartres
Fig. m10: Amiens chartres	1288	Pi25-3ch11	chartres
Fig. m11: Dante	1419	Ci29-7m11	ch.approach
Fig. m12: Marcanova	1465	Ci34-12m11	ch.approach
Fig. m13: Solomon	ca. 1400	Ci25-3m11	ch.approach
Fig. m14: Ravenna	ca. 1550	Ci16-2m7	ch.approach
Fig. m15: Bayeux	ca. 1250	Ci23-3m10	ch.approach
Fig. m16: Reims	1270	Spi33-11m11	ch.approach

Fig. m1: Jericho, Ramban

From a Hebrew manuscript of Israel’s holy sites ca. 1270, copied in 1598 in Italy.

Ci18-6m6, entrance: bottom, 3 waves B.

This is the most simple otfrid labyrinth.

Jericho was besieged by the Israelites and conquered after the army had marched 7 times around the city, a legend tells. This explains the 6 lanes with 7 walls, it is said.

Explanation: The labyrinth is Circular with internal goal, 18 lanes big in area or in cross section, 6 lanes centre area, medieval, 6 lanes or 6 turns in walking. Entrance is at the bottom of this drawing with upright centre figure. The basic wave figure is B, as described in fig. r1 in section 4.

To better see the wave figure in the labyrinth:

1. Cut the labyrinth open by the stem from the perimeter to the centre
2. Bend the left side 90° clockwise out until the stem is horizontal
3. Bend the right side 270° anti clockwise out until the stem is horizontal
4. Now all the lanes are vertical and are like the wave symbol B to the right.

The same procedure is done for the following labyrinths for seeing their wave figures.

Fig. m2: Otfrid’s Labyrinth

Labyrinth in Evangelienbuch by Otfrid of Weissenburg, Alsace, now France, 871.

Ci26-4m11, entrance: bottom, 3 waves C.

In the medieval period 11 was special, 11 = number of evil. 11 falls 1 short of 12, a holy number (12 apostles), and 11 exceeds 10 with 1 (10 commandments). 11 lanes as prison for the minotauros. But when the 11 circuit labyrinth in a couple of centuries changed completely as in Chartres to be holy and used for pilgrimage walking on knees to the centre, it can be considered that the centre goal is the 12’ circuit step and thereby specially holy.

Fig. m3: Augsburg otfrid labyrinth

From 9 labyrinth drawings by Sigmund Gossembrot the Elder, mayor of Augsburg, 1480.

Ci33-11m11, entrance: bottom, 2 waves D.

Fig. m4: Jericho, Farhi Bible

From a Hebrew Old Testament, Provence in France and Spain, 1382.

Ci16-4m6, entrance: bottom, 1 wave F.

Jericho in the centre with 7 walls around the city, formed as a labyrinth. One legend tells that 7 kings built Jericho and each of them built a wall around the city.

Fig. m5: Jericho, Zikkaron bi-Jerusalajim

From this Hebrew book (Remembrance of Jerusalem), Istanbul, Turkey, 1743.

Ci20-8m6, entrance: bottom, 1 wave C + 1 wave B.

Fig. m6: Jericho, Lune

Moon shape Jericho, Regensburg, Germany, ca. 1175.

Ci16-2 m7, entrance: bottom, a troja 2 (i.e. wave figure C).

In Hebrew the word Jericho and the moon have similarities, so Jericho can be said to mean the moon city.

Fig. m7: Jericho, Abruzzi

Monastery in Abruzzi, 822.

Ri14/15-1tr7, entrance: top, a troja 2 (i.e. wave figure C).

The oldest extant manuscript labyrinth.

Fig. m8: Jericho, Chartres

From Corbie near Amiens, France, ca. 1150.

Ci30-8ch11, entrance: bottom, a Chartres labyrinth ch11 (Real Chartres is Ci29-7ch11).

(RR = 2 radial lanes).

Fig. m9: Lucca chartres

Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca, Italy, ca. 1200.

Ci26-4ch11, entrance: right side.

Chartres labyrinth on a north wall, labyrinth opening facing west.

The oldest drawing found of the chartres labyrinth is from the 10’ century.

Fig. m10: Amiens chartres

Cathedral of Amiens, France, 1288.

Pi25-3ch11, entrance: bottom.

Chartres labyrinth in an 8 sided polygon.

Fig. m11: Dante

From manuscript Divina commedia in Florence, Italy, dating 1419.

Ci29-7m11, entrance: top, chartres approach style, compare to Chartres labyrinth.

(Dante has written the text which is allegoric and labyrinthine, but the labyrinth drawing on his manuscript is done by somebody else much later).

Fig. m12: Marcanova

Manuscript with illustrations of ancient edifices, Italy, 1465.

Ci34-12m11, entrance: bottom, chartres approach style, compare to Chartres labyrinth.

Fig. m13: Solomon

Venice, Italy, ca. 1400

Ci25-3m11, entrance: right, chartres approach style, compare to Chartres labyrinth.

Solomon was a king of Israel and had invented and built this (prison) labyrinth.

Fig. m14: Ravenna

San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, ca. 1550.

Ci16-2m7, entrance: bottom, chartres approach style, compare to Chartres labyrinth.

Fig. m15: Bayeux

Bayeux Cathedral, France, ca. 1250.

Ci23-3m10, entrance: bottom, chartres approach style, compare to Chartres labyrinth.

10 lanes system.

Fig. m16: Reims

Reims Cathedral, France, 1270.

Spi33-11m11, entrance: bottom, chartres approach style, compare to Chartres labyrinth.

Labyrinth was destroyed 1778.

To summary.

To section 5: the Chartes Cathedral Labyrinth.

To section 6: the chartres system labyrinths.