A Collection of Common (and uncommon) Maze terms

Sure, you could use a dictionary, but why not look right here for the maze and labyrinth term definitions you are wondering about. Certainly not a complete list, but it should include most things you are looking for.

ADJUSTABLE MAZES - Real world mazes (Often hedge mazes) that can be changed by using maze gates.

ANFRACTUOSITY - A winding channel or course as in a maze.

ARROW MAZE - A maze where you must follow the direction of the arrows to solve the maze. Or - A maze containing arrows to limit the direction a solver may take the pathways.

AXONOMETRIC - A type of grid that allows a maze creator to draw an object in 3 dimensions on a flat piece of paper by rotating the line of sight.

CAERDROIA LABYRINTH - A type of Welsh turf maze based on the Cretan labyrinth design.

CHAKRA-VYUHA - An Indian labyrinth pattern used to focus a mother during childbirth.

COLOR MAZE - A type of conditional maze that uses color and color patterns to determine path decisions you can make to move forward in the mazes.

CONDITIONAL MAZE - A maze where rules or conditions are established on where you can move.

CORN MAZE - (Maize maze in UK) - A maze made from the strategic planting of corn stalks (or alternatively the removal of corn stalks).

DEAD END - A path in a maze that ends without reaching the goal where you must turn back and choose a new pathway.

DIRECTIONAL MAZE - A maze with one way passages where you must follow the direction indicated. A type of conditional maze.

ENTRANCE - The start of the maze or labyrinth where you enter it, although not all mazes have an entrance !

EXIT - The goal of the maze where you exit. In a labyrinth the exit is typically in the same location as the entrance although there are some exceptions such as a Baltic Wheel Labyrinth.

FREE DRAWN - A maze that does not use a pre-determined grid pattern for structure.

GOAL - The end of a maze !

GRID - A frame of spaced blocks that create the backbone to the design of many maze types.

HEDGE MAZE - A maze whose barriers are made of hedge.

HAND ON WALL SOLVING METHOD - A method of solving a real world maze that works on any “SIMPLY CONNECTED” Maze.

INTERACTIVE MAZE - A maze that changes as you move through it. Often achieved in WATER Mazes.

LABYRINTH - A maze with no decisions or junctions. Moving forward will get you to the goal.

MAZE GATES - Gates used to adjust mazes and change the paths allowing visitors to complete a maze multiple times.

MINOTAUR - A half bull / half human that in mythology was believed to live in the center of the labyrinth at Knossos.

MIRROR MAZE - A maze typically found in a carnival funhouse where the walls are made of mirrors to add complexity (and hopefully a bit of fun) for the solver.

ORIENTATION - Where you are in relation to your surroundings.

PATHWAY - The part of the maze or labyrinth that you travel on for physical paper and digital mazes.

PAVED STONE MAZE - A maze whose path is made of paved stone. borders may be made of earth/turf, ditches of water or stones of different colors than the path to differentiate them.

PUZZLE MAZE - Mazes that require some type of solving in order to determine proper movement in the maze. Examples are a Math maze, number maze, letter maze, and a block move maze.

SPIRAL - A common maze pathway design meant to confuse to solver as lines converge to a central point.

QUICK EXIT - In a real world maze, a quick exit takes you from the GOAL to the exit (often via a bridge or tunnel) so you don’t have to exit the maze by reversing your path.

THESEUS - Greek hero who killed the Minotaur according to legend.

TROY TOWN (OR TROYTOWN) - A name commonly given to turf mazes, especially in England, because in popular legend the city of Troy was laid out in a confusing way to confuse attacking enemies.

UNICURSAL - A single-pathed way with no decision points or junctions. Commonly referred to as a Labyrinth in the US.

WEAVING MAZE - A type of maze where the pathways weave above and below each other and allow the solver to solve in another dimension.

For a more complete list of the different types of mazes and labyrinths with examples and videos I suggest this post:

44 Different Types of Mazes and Labyrinths

And also this page with some fun quotes:

Quotes about Mazes and Labyrinths

A Collection of Maze and Labyrinth Resources

Below is a list of websites I have come across that I found helpful as I have researched various maze and labyrinth subjects.

labyrinthlocator.com

The leading worldwide search tool to find labyrinths near you or to plan a visit while you are on vacation. Includes locations, pictures, and contact information for over 6,000 labyrinths in an easy to search database. I have personally used this to find a nearby labyrinth to walk while I was on vacation.

veriditas.org

Non-profit dedicated to the spiritual aspect of walking labyrinths. Founded by Lauren Artress, author of the book Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice. Has an extensive calendar of events that include a pilgrimage to Chartres in France. Also offers facilitator training for leading spiritual labyrinth walks.

labyrinthsociety.org

Non-profit dedicated to “to support all those who create, maintain and use labyrinths, and to serve the global community by providing education, networking and opportunities to experience transformation” to quote their mission statement. Includes a wonderful events calendar that includes worldwide walking events.

www.mazegenerator.net

Exactly what the domain suggests, an online maze generator. You can select between 4 shapes, 4 styles of cells, along with the height and width.

labyrinthe.at

Labyrinth resource specializing in labyrinths in Austria. Wonderful for persons who are German speaking. Has a listing of labyrinth walking events in Europe, typically including Chartres Cathedral in France, as well as events in Austria and Germany.

hrp.org.uk

The historic royal palace website in England with a direct link above to the most famous maze in the world, The Hampton Court maze. Includes vistor information for tickets, and some historical information.

cathedrale-chartres.org

The Chartres Cathedral in France has the most famous church floor labyrinth. This pattern is thought to be the most copied labyrinth pattern. You can find pilgrimages there on many of the sites on this page, or you can plan a trip yourself on their website.

blogmymaze.wordpress.com

A blog about labyrinths from Erwin Reißmann and Andreas Frei. The cumulative amount of information is impressive and the research is excellent. Has been around since 2008.

relax4life.com

Site dedicated to holistic education and mindfulness that focuses on the healing power of labyrinths. They sell a variety of labyrinth themed products like labyrinth blankets, canvas labyrinths and an extensive collection of finger labyrinths.

sagebrushexchange.com

If you live near Kansas City, Missouri stop by the Prairia Labyrinth. Also explains the use of 7 chakras to spiritually explain the walk of a classical labyrinth.

ispiritual.com

A gift shop full of labyrinth items including jewelry, scarves, finger labyrinths and books.

paxworks.com

A little bit of everything labyrinth wise, with links to labyrinth themed books, music, videos, and a photo gallery.

And from this site:

How to make a Digital Maze (over 40 different types)

How to make a variety of Digital Labyrinths

The Surprising Benefits of Solving Mazes

classical labyrinth

The Best Books About Mazes and Labyrinths (that aren't actually maze books)

Today I am going to explore maze books. But not the typical puzzle maze books that you sit around and solve. No these are books about the making of those mazes, the math of mazes, the history of mazes, the architecture of hedge mazes and labyrinths, and things like that. Books about mazes. Not maze books. If you are looking for reviews of the spiritual aspect of labyrinths, I have written a post about those books separately. This can make for some complicated advanced searches in the library card catalog (it isn’t a card catalog anymore though is it. It’s an online search catalog.) Hopefully these book reviews will give you an idea of which books you might be interested in as I answer 2 big questions for each book: What I learned in this book, and what this book does best. Let’s get started !

Here are the 9 best books about mazes, labyrinths and their history:

I start with the newest entry to this list, and in my opinion the best overview of Mazes and Labyrinths you can find. If you can find this book, it is a perfect starting place to learn about this subject matter.

Through the labyrinth : designs and meanings over 5000 years (2000) by Hermann Kern 360 pages AMZN

What I learned in this book: So much I was exhausted thinking about writing this.
What I loved about this book: Looks at labyrinths and mazes for perspectives I had never thought of across 19 different themed chapters.

What this book does best: Simply put, this is the best researched book I have found on the subject. Great photos, including many you will not see anywhere else.

The Amazing Book of Mazes by Adrian Fisher 264 pages. AMZN. Adrian Fisher is a great maze designer who pulled together this book showing over 150 maze designs while explaining what makes them unique and important.

What I learned in this book:

• Labyrinths and “real world mazes” have been around for about 4,000 years while puzzle mazes have been around for only 500 years.

• Vertical mazes: Hedge, Panel, Corn (called Maize mazes in the UK), Mirror and Water are the most common types of vertical mazes.

• The first vertical maze in the USA was created in 1805 in Harmony, PA and was made of vines. The oldest surviving maze in the USA is the Vizcaya Maze Garden in Miami , Florida from 1916.

• Hedge mazes were first constructed with small hedges. Not until the late 16th Century did gardeners in England begin using the tall hedges that are standard today.

• Panel mazes, usually made of wood, first appeared in the year 1900 and allowed the maze to be changed daily for multiple unique trips. The maze craze in Japan from 1984-88 consisted of panel mazes.

• The first Corn Maze was developed at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA in 1993. From the time the height is correct until the leaves brown a typical corn maze lasts 4-8 weeks. The advantage of Corn mazes is they can be changed yearly, unlike hedge mazes, which must be taken care of consistently for years.

• In England the crop of corn is actually what Americans would call wheat, so in England they are called Maize Mazes instead of corn mazes.

• The first mirror maze is from Constantinople in 1889. They are a staple of fun houses and tourist areas today.

What I loved about this book: Comprehensive look at real world mazes and their history organized by type.

What this book does best: A great guide to mazes around the world with pictures. A great resource to look deeper into maze design.

Mazes and Labyrinths of The World by Janet Bord 181 pages. AMZN.

What I learned in this book:

• The original labyrinth is thought to be on the island of Crete where Theseus defeated the Minotaur at the center of the Cretan Labyrinth.

• At one time in the UK it was common for doorsteps to have labyrinth or maze drawings on them to keep evil spirits and witches at bay.

• Labyrinths are often linked to death and the passing from the living world to the afterlife

• The story of Icarus I knew was he flew too close to the sun melting the wax of his self made wings despite warnings from his father King Minos. The reason he made those wings was to escape a labyrinth he was imprisoned in.

• Mazes are common in the following forms by country: England, turf; Sweden, stone; France and Italy, church mosaics.

What this book does best: Discusses the history of Mazes and Labyrinths in Europe, especially England.

The Unending Mystery: A Journey Through Labyrinths and Mazes by David W. McCullough 272 pages. AMZN

What I learned in this book:

• The appendix includes step by step examples on how to draw a simple labyrinth and also a classic seven circuit labyrinth

• Leonardo da Vinci notebooks from the 1490’s include the entry “repair the labyrinth” on his to do list

• Caerdroia magazine, edited by Jeff Saward, is a Journal of Mazes and labyrinths that has been published since 1980. This is supported by the website labyrinthos.com a great place to study all types of mazes and labyrinths online.

• The modern use of walking Labyrinths for spiritual practice popularized By Lauren Artress in her 1995 book Walking a Sacred Path (AMZN).

What this book does best: Explores the many reasons people believe labyrinths were used through history, their myths, legends, and rising and waning popularity thru history.

Mazes and Labyrinths by Nigel Pennick 208 pages AMZN

What I learned in this book:

• Labyrinths are built from a nine point pattern

• In India it is common in some parts of the country to see labyrinths painted or drawn in chalk at doorways to homes. This is thought to keep out evil spirits. This is known as kolam.

• In India they also sometimes use a labyrinth as a yantra used for concentration during childbirth. The mother concentrates on solving and unsolving the labyrinth with her eyes as a way to put the mind to work on something other than the pain.

• There are 4 types of simple labyrinths: the simple meander, the complex meander, serpentine, and spiral.

• The path of the famous Hampton Court maze in England was used as the path for the first maze laboratory experiments with rats. Seems like something that would help you in Jeopardy.

What this book does best: Extremely detailed look at mazes from England, with details on exact measurements and map references. It also is good at speaking about theories of why the labyrinth is found across so many places and cultures.

Mazes in Videogames: Meaning Metaphor and Design by Alison Gazzard 183 pages AMZN

The book explores how the paths of mazes and labyrinths found in the real world have influenced the paths a player experiences while exploring and playing videogames.

What I learned in this book:

• There are 6 common path types in video games:

  • Core Path - You have no choice but to move forward on the main path and no decision to make. i.e. like a labyrinth

  • Blind Turn - The core path turns and you cannot see what is around the turn/corner. This creates tension for the walker/player and in games is often where enemies will attack from

  • Forked Path - Where a choice needs to be made to move in one of two possible new directions

  • Multi Forked Path - Where a choice needs to be made to move in one of more than 2 possible new directions

  • Loop backs - A path that after taking it returns you to the place where it started.

  • Loop alongs - A chosen path off the core path that returns to the core path at a point farther on essentially allowing you to skip a portion of the core path.

• In Pac-Man, one of the original maze games, the ghosts acts as moving barriers, making completing the maze dynamic

• Video games and Maze walkers each need to overcome challenges to solve the puzzle. Each may include dead ends, clues, and both will get better with repetition, i.e multiple plays of a level/ multiple walks of the maze.

• Speed runs are a popular way to get into video game record books. Real world mazes sometimes have similar challenges, seeing how fast a person can solve the maze.

What this book does best: Takes a big picture view of how video games present pathways to the player. The different designs encountered and examples of games that best represent the pathways.

Magical Paths: Labyrinths & Mazes in the 21st Century By Jeff Saward 176 pages AMZN

This book is a great overview of the history of mazes and labyrinths. It speaks to the mythology and symbolism of the works from the past through the present day. Great photos and examples. Nice resources in the back with locations of popular mazes and relevant websites.

What I learned in this book:

• From a religious perspective there are 2 main ways to walk a labyrinth.

  • Walk in, arrive at the center, re-trace your steps and walk back out

  • Walk in, arrive at the center, walk across the labyrinth to the alter of the church

• Order matters when reading/reviewing books. Historical learnings from other books are repeated here.

What this book does best: Great pictures (and many pictures) and easy to understand language make this a great first book to look into mazes and labyrinths.

Mazes and Labyrinths: Their History & Development by W.H. Matthews 254 pages AMZN

This is considered by many the first comprehensive modern book that looked at mazes and labyrinths and their history. Every book that has come after this one references it. It was first published in London in 1922.

What I learned in this book:

• To generalize, this is the original book on labyrinth and maze history. The historical details of places in England is extensive and has been used by many other authors. The specific details are meaningless in this context however.

What this book does best: Extensive illustrations of labyrinths and mazes. The cover of the book even speaks to this - “151 illustrations”.

Labyrinths & Mazes by Jurgen Hohmuth 176 pages AMZN

This book is comprised of aerial photographs of labyrinths and mazes from around Europe mixed with information from a variety of experts: Simone Augustin, Adrian Fisher, Klaus Kurvers, Martin Rasper, Jeff Saward, Ilse M Seifred, and Uwe Wolff.

What I learned in this book:

• The book has a long discussion on the possible use of labyrinths as navigation devices for ancient sailors in coastal Sweden and Finland.

• I need to visit Leeds Castle. The castle looks amazing and they have both a maze and labyrinth on site.

• The book includes a detailed map and informational listing on the 55 sites around Europe that were visited. Very helpful to plan a trip.

What this book does best: The pictures here are superior to any other book I have seen. First, the subject matter includes places not typically seen before, and not just the most famous mazes/labyrinths covered in all books on the subject.

Other popular posts you may like:

Maze Comic Book Reviews - 4 different comics about Theseus and the Minotaur

The Surprising Benefits of Solving Mazes

How to make a Digital Maze (40 different types)

How to make a variety of Digital Labyrinths

5 Books About the Spiritual Aspect of Labyrinths

When you draw and make mazes and labyrinths daily you inevitably read about the history of each. I took some time to read about the spiritual aspect of Labyrinths and here are the 5 best books I read on the subject. I suggest starting with Walking a Sacred Path, the most well known book on the subject and the first book that I review below.

Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool by Dr. Lauren Artress 201 pages. AMZN

What I learned in this book:

• Walking a labyrinth is a very personal experience for anyone who does it. Often it is a meditative and spiritual journey that parallels the journey you take in life.

• Walking the labyrinth harkens back to the former days of pilgrimage in religious traditions.

• There are many ways to walk a labyrinth. Do what feels right to you. Chapter four includes a process you might find helpful to make the walk productive.

• The labyrinth is seen as a metaphor for many things: the union between heaven and earth, death and rebirth, faith and doubt, the brain, intestines or birth canal, and the journey to heaven.

• The labyrinth reinforces the use of rituals to connect us.

• A labyrinth is a walking meditation vs. the traditional still meditation.

What this book does best: The best book about the spiritual journey of walking labyrinths there is.

Labyrinth : Your Path to Self-Discovery by Tony Christie 312 pages. AMZN

What I learned in this book:

• This book casts a wide net on the structure of the labyrinth and how it may tie in to a multitude on religions and practices including: Mithraism, Alchemy, the planets and cosmos, the Alchemical process, the 4 elements, Tarot cards, the Kabbalah tree of life, the mythical hero’s journey, Melchizedek, our death and rebirth, chakras, major arcana, the Ursa Major constellation, and the magical square of the moon. I would be shocked if came away from this book and said you learned nothing and everything spoken about was familiar.

• There have been studies done about how people feel after walking a labyrinth and the results are 81% more centered and 87% more peaceful - John W Rhodes 2008 experiment

• While discussing walking the labyrinth and finding your life’s purpose the author writes - “Books you buy or are given as gifts can indicate where your [life’s] purpose lies”. I found that statement to be very true in my own life. Books are great gifts, especially when they are carefully selected.

• When walking a labyrinth you should have a threefold approach: knowledge, experience, and reflection.

What this book does best: This looks at the spiritual aspect of labyrinths from every angle and thru many lenses (see my first bullet point).

Exploring the Labyrinth: A Guide For Healing and Spiritual Growth by Melissa Gayle West 209 pages AMZN

What I learned in this book:

• Walk the labyrinth with purpose. Have something in mind to mediate on/think about while you walk. And most importantly be open minded as you walk.

• The labyrinth walk can help you deal with grief, fear and anger.

• The book does a nice job discussing how a labyrinth can be used. Use the labyrinth for:

  • Physical Healing and Curing

  • Relaxation and Guidance

  • Re-connection to Self and Spirit

  • Illness and Pain as a teacher

  • Ritual and Celebrations

• Has a nice guide or checklist to use when creating a labyrinth ritual for your celebration by answering a series of questions

• Suggests that the center of a labyrinth should have an altar of some kind like a bench, tree, flowers or a statue.

What this book does best: The entire 2nd Part of the book is dedicated to making your own labyrinth. And while it covers drawing a Cretan and making a finger labyrinth, the real value is in making physical labyrinths. Instructions are included to make a both a Cretan labyrinth and the Chartres labyrinth with tape, as well as how to make the Cretan labyrinth with rope.

Walking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God by Travis Scholl 240 pages AMZN

What I learned in this book:

• The meaning of the word Liminality - roughly the time between times, or the middle stage of a ritual.

• I had never heard the quote from the Danish Philosopher Soren Kiekegaard before '“Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forward”

What this book does best: This is a Christian book. The author walks a labyrinth each day during Lent with a daily Scripture from the book of Mark being used to meditate on during the walk. The book tells about the scripture and speaks to how the author feels in modern day walking the labyrinth.

Labyrinths from the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual Insight by Rev Dr Donna Schaper and Rev Dr Carole Ann Camp 187 pages AMZN

What I learned in this book:

• The meaning of the word Acedia - Being bored to death while being bombarded with stimulation

• The origin of the word labyrinth may have come from the word labyrs which was a double headed Ax used on the island of Crete.

• The book suggests breaking the walk of a labyrinth into the following parts, each with their own meaning and preparation: !.Preparation 2. Invocation (typically a prayer before the walk) 3. Walking in 4. Reaching the center 5. Walking out 6. Exit and Gratitude

• The book suggests using the labyrinth to commemorate/celebrate/heal with rites of passage rituals for key moments in life. Including births, deaths, puberty, menopause, birthdays, retirement and any negative events that require healing.

What this book does best: The book ends with multiple chapters on ideas for walking the labyrinth with gratitude to celebrate holidays, religious events, the changing of the seasons, the zodiac, large life events and much more, all with a nod to the spiritual aspect of the walk.

If you are interested in more spiritual labyrinth aspects I suggest the following:

1. Lauren Artress website - For coaching, workshops and classes.

2. Veriditas - The nonprofit labyrinth group founded by Lauren Artress

3. Worldwide Labyrinth Finder - Find a labyrinth to walk near you, or while on vacation