Book Review - Confessions of an Egyptologist

Book Review - Confessions of an Egyptologist 195 pages. AMZN.

by Erich von Däniken

Confessions of an Egyptologist by Erich von Däniken is a fascinating book that tells the story of Adel H., a 16-year-old boy who discovered a mysterious labyrinth of the old kings and was trapped for days under the Step Pyramid. The book is a mix of memoir and historical fiction, with von Däniken weaving together Adel's story with his own theories about ancient Egypt and the possibility of extraterrestrial influence.

The book is well-written and engaging, with von Däniken's signature style of blending fact and speculation. However, some readers may find his theories to be far-fetched and lacking in evidence. Additionally, the book has been criticized for its lack of academic rigor and reliance on anecdotal evidence.

Despite these criticisms, Confessions of an Egyptologist is an enjoyable read for anyone interested in ancient Egypt and the mysteries surrounding its history. Von Däniken's storytelling is compelling, and his passion for the subject matter is evident throughout the book. Whether or not you agree with his theories, the book is sure to spark your imagination and leave you with a newfound appreciation for the wonders of ancient Egypt.

What I learned in this book:

• Was the Great Pyramid of Giza a huge library created for the people of the future ?

• Are tomb raiders the real archeologists in Egypt ? It seems if a tomb raider uncovers a new place filled with valuable antiquities it is in their best interest to keep it to themselves and pillage it.

What this book does best: It weaves together a mix of memoir and historical fiction that includes aliens. I would say this opens your mind to new possibilities on what the pyramids were for and who built them.

I read this book as I have been seeing a lot of information recently saying that the lost Labyrinth has been found. Watch out for a future blog post on this as I continue my research.

The 10 Most Famous Labyrinths from Around the World

Labyrinths have been a part of human history for thousands of years, with their origins dating back to ancient times. These intricate structures have been used for various purposes, from religious rituals to entertainment. Today, labyrinths continue to fascinate people all over the world, with many visiting them for their beauty and meditative qualities. In this blog post, we will explore the 10 of the most famous labyrinths in the world. In no particular order:

1. Hawara Labyrinth, Egypt

One of the most famous labyrinths of the ancient world was housed in an Egyptian pyramid complex built in the 12th Dynasty at Hawara by Amenemhet III. This labyrinth was said to be so complex that no one who entered it could find their way out. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote about visiting the labyrinth in the 5th century. Unfortunately, the labyrinth no longer exists, but its legend lives on. Will the Lost Labyrinth be found (maybe it already has?)? There is currently a team working on a virtual reconstruction of the pyramid and labyrinth. I am excited to see their rendering !

Lost Labyrinth of Egypt ?

2. Villa Pisani Labyrinth, Italy

Located in Stra, near Venice, the Villa Pisani Labyrinth is a romantic boxwood labyrinth with a tower in the middle holding a statue of the goddess Minerva. It was built in the 18th century and is considered one of the most beautiful labyrinths in the world. It is layered so that it is difficult to solve. The Villa Pisani was the residence of the Pisani family until Napoleon Bonaparte bought the villa in 1807 from the Pisani family for the sum of 1,901 Venetian liras. Today the villa houses a museum.

photo from taliaperamore.com

3. Hampton Court Palace Maze, England

The Hampton Court Palace Maze is one of the most famous mazes in the world and the oldest surviving hedge maze in Britain. It was commissioned by William III in 1700 and is still the largest of its kind in England. The maze covers a third of an acre and has over half a mile of paths. You can plan a visit here.

flickr bobgjohnson

4. Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth, France

The Labyrinth of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres is located in the nave of the Chartres Cathedral in France. It was constructed in the 13th century and is one of the most famous labyrinths in the world. The labyrinth is made of white marble and measures 42 feet in diameter. It is the subject of much mystery and surmise, with popular opinion being that the labyrinth represents the long and tortuous path that pilgrims would have needed to follow to reach the Cathedral of Chartres. The labyrinth is also thought to have once been graced by an image of the Minotaur at its center.

5. Ashcombe Maze, Australia

The Ashcombe Maze is located on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. It is the largest hedge maze in Australia and covers two hectares. The maze has over 1,000 cypress trees, was planted over 40 years ago and is a popular tourist attraction. You can plan a trip here. The maze is broken into 2 parts, a South Maze and a North Maze connected by a beautiful Centre Garden. Also on the property is a Rose Maze consisting of more than 1,200 rose bushes and 200 different types of rose.

6. Longleat Hedge Maze, England

The Longleat Hedge Maze is located in Wiltshire, England. Planted in 1978 and covers 1.48 acres and is made of over 16,000 English yew trees. With 1.69 miles of pathways it is the longest hedge maze int he world. In addition to the maze, the grounds contain a historic house, gardens, and a safari park. Check out the thumbnail on this video. That is one cool hedge maze !

7. The Labyrinth of the Reims Cathedral, France

The Labyrinth of the Reims Cathedral was located in the nave of the Reims Cathedral in France. It was built in the 13th century, was made of stone and measured 40 feet in diameter. In 1779 in labyrinth was destroyed by the priests running the cathedral because children were playing on it during services and ceremonies. Today if you visit they have a light projection recreating the labyrinth on the floor during the evening. Despite no longer being physical, the labyrinth is the logo for all French historical monuments !

from commons.wikimedia by G. Garitan

8. The Labyrinth of the Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

The Labyrinth of the Grace Cathedral, located in San Francisco, California, was built in 1991. The indoor labyrinth is made of limestone and measures 44 feet in diameter. I say indoor because the grounds also feature an outdoor labyrinth ! The church offers guided candlelit labyrinth walks the second Friday of each month from 6-8pm ! You can check their event page to find the next walk (and maybe even a labyrinth yoga class).

9. The Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs of Paris are a 180-plus-mile maze of tunnels lying beneath the streets of Paris, France. Once a network of old limestone quarries, they served as a mass grave for the city's dead in the late 18th century. The catacombs are a real labyrinth of tunnels and galleries, with a depth of about 66 feet (equal to 5 floors of a building) and housing the skeletal remains of more than six million people. It is frighteningly easy to get lost in the catacombs if you are not a seasoned catacomb explorer, or 'cataphile', as the fearless adventurers are known.

10. Alice’s Curious Labyrinth, Disneyland Paris and Shanghai Disneyland Park

Not the most famous, but I wanted to include a modern example of a maze. Alice's Curious Labyrinth is a hedge maze-style attraction located at both Disneyland Paris and Shanghai Disneyland Park. The maze is themed around Disney's 1951 version of Alice in Wonderland and sees guests walking around a series of winding paths, as they attempt to reach the Queens of Hearts Castle at its center. The maze is split into two sections, with the first one featuring some of Alice's adventures prior to meeting the Queen of Hearts, and the second based on Alice's encounter with the Queen, who had a similar labyrinth in the film. The entire labyrinth is wheelchair accessible, with only the "Castle" section not wheelchair accessible due to a tight doorway.

If you have the time and money I hope you can plan a trip to see some of these wonderful labyrinths !

15 Unique Types of Art You Need to See to Believe

Every once in awhile these forms of art will go viral on a social media site, then fade and come back a few years later on a new platform and go through the news cycle again. While you may have come across some of these, I guarantee there will be a few new forms of art that will amaze you !

15 Unique Types of Art

• Human Flowers Art

Human Flowers is a series of photomosaics created by artist and photographer Cecelia Webber. The series features real naked human bodies arranged to resemble plants and flowers. In her own words - “I use the human body to create natural imagery, highlighting humanity’s inseparability from nature.”

• Reverse Graffiti Art

Reverse graffiti is a form of street art where artists create images on walls or other surfaces by removing dirt from a surface. It is also known as clean tagging, dust tagging, grime writing, clean graffiti, green graffiti, or clean advertising. This method involves cleaning specific areas of a dirty surface, creating art through the contrast of polished areas and grime. It is a temporary or semi-permanent form of art that is environmentally friendly and thought-provoking.

• Dirty Car Art

  Dirty car art is a unique form of art that involves creating drawings or paintings on dirty car windows. Texas-based artist Scott Wade is one of the most well-known dirty car artists, and his work has been featured in various media outlets. He uses the dirt and dust on car windows as a canvas to create detailed and intricate designs. Other artists, such as Nikita Golubev from Russia, have also gained attention for their dirty car art. This form of art is a creative way to turn something that is typically seen as a nuisance (dirty car windows) into something beautiful and interesting.

• Light Painting Art

Light painting is a photographic technique that involves moving a light source while taking a long-exposure photograph. This can be used to illuminate a subject or space, or to create light art by shining light at the camera to 'draw'. To do light painting, you need to use a long exposure to capture the path of a moving light source. Light painting can imitate characteristics of traditional painting, and can be achieved by moving, adding or removing lights or subjects during or between exposures. It is a fun and creative way to experiment with photography and create spectacular images.

• Banana Bruising Art

Banana bruising art is a form of art created by bruising the skin of bananas to create intricate designs and patterns. The art is created by oxidization, which occurs as the enzymes in the cells of the banana are released and interact with oxygen. Anna Chojnicka, a London-based artist, has created about 400 works of art using this technique

• Alfombras de Asserin

Alfombras de Aserrin, also known as sawdust carpets, are a 400-year-old Guatemalan tradition where one or more layers of colored sawdust, flowers, palm leaves, and other materials are laid on the ground as decoration. This tradition is a sign of faith in God, devotion to Jesus, and love of tradition. The carpets are typically made before Easter and are a way for Guatemalans to decorate their streets. The art of making Alfombras de Aserrin can be learned and is a way to create something visually interesting and environmentally friendly.

• Sand Painting Art

Sand painting is an art form that involves pouring colored sand or powdered pigments onto a surface to create stylized, symbolic pictures. It is a traditional art form of the Navajo people, and the figures in sand paintings are symbolic representations meant to tell a story in Navajo mythology. Sand paintings are also called dry paintings and are used in curing ceremonies in Navajo culture. You can see a gallery of sand art here.

• Sidewalk Chalk Art

Sidewalk chalk artwork is a form of temporary art created on sidewalks or pavement using chalk. It can range from simple drawings to intricate 3D designs that appear to pop off the ground. Some of the most talented sidewalk chalk artists in the world include Edgar Mueller, Julian Beever, Kurt Wenner, and Manfred Stader.

• Land Art /Earth Art

Land art, also known as Earth art or Earthworks, is an art movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States. It involves creating art directly in or on the natural landscape, often using natural materials such as rocks, soil, and plants. The movement was part of the wider conceptual art movement of the time. Land art is often documented through photographs and maps, which can be exhibited in galleries. The movement was pioneered by a group of artists who sought to create art that was not confined to traditional art spaces and that engaged with environmental and social issues. Some of the best known artists are Walter De Maria, Robert Smithson, and Dennis Oppenheim.

• Body Painting Art

Body painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin, using actual face and body paints to draw and paint over the skin. Unlike tattoos and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks. It is a universal art form that connects people and artists together. Body painting has a rich cultural heritage and has been practiced in many different cultures throughout history.

• Ice Sculpture Art

Ice sculpture is a form of sculpture that uses ice as the raw material. Ice sculptures can be abstract or realistic, and can be functional or purely decorative. Ice sculptures are generally associated with special or extravagant events because of their limited lifetime. Sculpting ice presents a number of difficulties due to the variability and volatility of the material. Ice may be sculpted in a wide range of temperatures and the characteristics of the ice will change according to its temperature as well as the surrounding temperatures. Ice sculpture is traditionally taught in culinary schools using textbooks such as Ice Sculpting the Modern Way and Ice Carving Made Easy. If you want to plan a trip there are ice sculpting events all over the world, including in The International Ice Sculpture Festival in Latvia, the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in Harbin, China, and the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.

• Found Object Art

Found object art is a type of art created from undisguised, often modified, items or products that are not normally considered materials from which art is made. These objects are often utilitarian, manufactured, or naturally occurring, and were not originally designed for an artistic purpose. Found object art can include sculpture, as artists use objects they come across in everyday life to create three-dimensional pieces of art. Some well known artists in this field are Bernard Williams, Tony Cragg and Sarah Lucas.

• Maze Art
  I had to include it. You are on a website dedicated to maze art ! It beat out Giant Roadside attractions by the slimmest of margins. I will include a video for both below. Maze art refers to artwork that features mazes or is created using maze-like patterns. This can include paintings, drawings, and even video games. My favorite maze artists are K Lars Lohn and Sean C Jackson.

• Rice Field Art

So there is a man in Thailand, Thunyapong Jaikum, who makes art of cats using rice fields. I will repeat that and bold it so I believe it, a man who makes cat art using rice fields. The field is located in Chiang Rai, Thailand which is a place you have heard of before (the soccer team in the cave). And now for the article from the Bangkok Post about our artistic rice farmer.

• Single Line Drawings

  It will not surprise you that I am a big fan of single line drawings. If you have never seen one, it a drawing made by putting your pen/pencil/other on the paper/screen and not picking it up until the drawing is complete. This makes for a very unique look to the artwork. The most complex have a lot of crossover lines, but a few of them, a unique few are single line drawings WITH NO CROSSOVER POINTS, making them technically meandering labyrinths ! How about some Star Wars ? By Sam Hallows. C3PO, and many more you can see here on this trend site !

As promised…Giant Roadside attractions. Art ?

Attribution:

Blog posts feature image “Dirty Car Art” from John M. P. Knox on flickr.

The Ultimate Directory of Maze and Labyrinth Builders: The Top 13 Builders in the world

Mazes and labyrinths are becoming more and more popular. You can find them in corn fields, public and private gardens, parks, fairs, churches, beaches, courtyards, art galleries and of course in books. Setting up an installation that works in your space takes detailed planning and a keen understanding of how to use materials to give the feeling you want from the project. Today we will look at 13 companies that specialize in physical maze and labyrinth designs. These include projects made with stone, hedges, corn, earth mounds and many other interesting materials. If you are looking to build your own installation, you should be able to find a builder here.

Adrian Fisher - www.mazemaker.com

The world’s leading maze designer and holder of many Guinness World Records. Projects can be seen around the world and include all types of installations: Mirror, Hedge, Panel, Water, Paving, and Corn (or Maize in the UK). The company has been designing mazes for clients since 1979. Adrian Fisher designed the first Maize Maze, while pioneering water mazes, walk-through parting waterfalls in mazes, foaming fountain gates, and wrought-iron maze gates to make mazes dynamic. With over 700 designs the portfolio is impressive. Here is and example of their hedge maze work from the Blenheim Palace in England:

Jim Buchanan - www.jimbuchananprojects.uk

Specializing in land art and labyrinths in the UK. Beautiful use of earth/mounds to build interesting labyrinths. Also the only person I know who uses light projections into swimming pools to create labyrinths that can be walked or swam. Below is his beautiful “Earth and Wildflower Labyrinth” commissioned by the Chesterfield Borough Council.

Marty and Debi Kermeen - labyrinthsinstone.com

Specializes in pavement and stone labyrinths, mostly in the United States. Have been building labyrinths since 1998. They also make hand painted labyrinths on canvas and sell cards and posters of some of their work. Below is an example of their labyrinth work from Aurora University:

The Labyrinth Company - www.labyrinthcompany.com

Offer a variety of services to build or help you build a labyrinth. Pre-designed kits are available to build labyrinths of paving stone, bricks, ceramic floors, hardwood floors, cork floors, carpets, poly canvas mats, vinyl and linoleum floors to name a few. They have many different labyrinth designs including replicas of many classics. If you need quick solution they probably have it. Here is an example of their Abingdon à la Chartres™ paved labyrinth:

TheMAiZE -www.themaize.com

Design and consultant company specializing in the design of corn (maize) mazes. They have a great map feature allows you to find a corn maze near you ! Currently designing in the US, Canada, Poland and the UK with over 3000 corn mazes designed since 1996. Here is an example of one of their corn mazes:

Precision Mazes - www.precisionmazes.com

Corn Maze builder from Missouri who focuses on the use of GPS to make precision designs. They have some impressive commercial maze work in their portfolio that include Cartman from Southpark and Salvador Dali. You can see more about their work in this short video:

Mazescape - mazescape.com

Company founded by UK based maze designers Angus Mewse and Tom Hockaday. They offer 4 different Maize (Corn) Maze design packages based on customer needs. All of their corn (maize) mazes are unique and not pre- designed. They also have designed and built mazes with a wide range of materials, including to quote the website “Willow, Bamboo, Beech, Yew, Turf, Timber Panels, Wooden Posts, Trellis and Climbing Plants, Fabric, Rope, Hay & Straw Bales, Recycled Tires, Adobe, Brick and Stone”.

Don & Lorraine Watts - thecornmazeguy.com

Company out of Pennsylvania that specializes in affordable corn maze design for the Northeastern part of the US. They offer printed corn maze games to enhance the corn maze customer experience.

Maize Quest - mazecatalog.com

Company from Pennsylvania that has been designing corn mazes since 1997. They specialize in making mazes that include additional features for the guests, like a scavenger hunt and projects or tasks for kids to complete as they walk through the amaze. They also sell rope mazes and fence mazes like the one below:

MazePlay - www.mazeplay.com

Started in 1998 when the owner planted a corn maze for the first time after convincing his father to let him experiment in a corner of the corn field. Based in Idaho. Service designs corn mazes and includes the options to add games to enhance the experience for guests (treasure hunts, solving a mystery games). Check out their video playlist here:

Instant Hedge - www.instanthedge.com

“Established in 2013, InstantHedge is the only nursery in the United States devoted to growing pre-finished hedges” - from their website. A company that specializes at installing hedges for clients. They also can design and install hedge mazes. Located in Oregon. Check out their great hedge care guides for hedges.

Robert Ferré - www.labyrinth-enterprises.com/

Works on design, consulting, and installation of labyrinths. Hosts a Master Class on how to lay out a classical labyrinth. Author of the books Canvas Labyrinths: Constructuion Manual and The Labyrinth Revival. Below is his work from the Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, Il.

Lea Goode Harris - www.creativelabyrinths.com/

A creative designer and consultant for labyrinth insulations. Author of multiple books, including Ladybug Labyrinth: A Journey Home and A Discovery of Labyrinths. Creator of the Santa Rosa Labyrinth consisting of 8 concentric circles. Here is an example of it on the roof of the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC.

And one more that specializes in temporary mazes for exhibits:

BONUS: Minotaur Mazes - Minotaur Mazes

Minotaur Mazes specializes in creating real world mazes that can be used in exhibits and museums. The long list of clients (hundreds) on the website includes Museums, Science Centers, a list of Collaborations, Amusement Parks, Fairs, Festivals, Events, Libraries, Zoos, Aquariums, Botanical Gardens and Children’s Museums. So if you are running an event or one of these attractions this company is something you may want to look into ! Check out this YouTube video showing just one example of an installation of Mazes & Brain Games done in Raleigh Durham, NC. There are 11 different exhibitions to choose from on the site and you will no doubt know that my favorite is Mazes and Brain Games that you see previewed in the video below.

There is a lot of talent here to help you with professional labyrinth installation, design and construction. I hope this directory helps you make you vision a reality. If I missed someone that you would recommend, drop me note (doyoumaze@gmail.com). Thank you!