MAZES AND LABYRINTHS
[Illustration:
[_Photo: G. F. Green_
Fig. 86. Maze at Hatfield House, Herts.
(_see page 115_)]
MAZES
AND LABYRINTHS
A GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THEIR HISTORY
AND DEVELOPMENTS
BY
W. H. MATTHEWS, B.Sc.
_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_
LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, E.C. 4
NEW YORK, TORONTO
BOMBAY, CALCUTTA AND MADRAS
1922
_All rights reserved_
_Made in Great Britain_
To
ZETA
whose innocent prattlings on the
summer sands of Sussex
inspired its conception
this book
is most affectionately
dedicated
PREFACE
Advantages out of all proportion to the importance of the immediate
aim in view are apt to accrue whenever an honest endeavour is made to
find an answer to one of those awkward questions which are constantly
arising from the natural working of a child's mind. It was an endeavour
of this kind which formed the nucleus of the inquiries resulting in the
following little essay.
It is true that the effort in this case has not led to complete success
in so far as that word denotes the formulation of an exact answer to
the original question, which, being one of a number evoked by parental
experiments in seaside sand-maze construction, was: "Father, who made
mazes first of all?" On the other hand, one hesitates to apply so
harsh a term as "failure" when bearing in mind the many delightful
excursions, rural as well as literary, which have been involved and the
alluring vistas of possible future research that have been opened up
from time to time in the course of such excursions.
By no means the least of the adventitious benefits enjoyed by the
explorer has been the acquisition of a keener sense of appreciation of
the labours of the archaeologist, the anthropologist, and other, more
special, types of investigator, any one of whom would naturally be far
better qualified to discuss the theme under consideration--at any rate
from the standpoint of his particular branch of learning--than the
present author can hope to be.
The special thanks of the writer are due to Professor W. M. Flinders
Petrie for permission to make use of his diagram of the conjectural
restoration of the Labyrinth of Egypt, Fig. 4, and the view of the
shrine of Amenemhat III, Fig. 2, also for facilities to sketch the
Egyptian plaque in his collection which is shown in Fig. 19 and for
drawing the writer's attention thereto; to Sir Arthur Evans for the
use of his illustrations of double axes and of the Tomb of the Double
Axe which appear as Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively (Fig. 8 is
also based on one of his drawings); to M. Picard (of the _Librairie A.
Picard_) for leave to reproduce the drawing of the Susa mosaic, Fig.
37; to Mr. J. H. Craw, F.S.A. (Scot.), Secretary of the Berwickshire
Naturalists' Club, for the use of the illustrations of sculptured
rocks, Figs. 128 and 129; to the Rev. E. A. Irons for the photograph of
the Wing maze, Fig. 60, and to the Rev. G. Yorke for the figure of the
Alkborough "Julian's Bower," Fig. 59.
The many kind-hearted persons who have earned the gratitude of the
writer by acceding to his requests for local information, or by
bringing useful references to his notice, will perhaps take no offence
if he thanks them collectively, though very heartily, in this place. In
most cases where they are not mentioned individually in the text they
will be found quoted as authorities in the bibliographical appendix.
The present is, however, the most fitting place in which to express
a cordial acknowledgment of the assistance rendered by the writer's
friend, Mr. G. F. Green, whose skill and experience in the photographic
art has been of very great value.
Grateful recognition must also be made of the help and courtesy
extended to the writer by the officials of several libraries, museums,
and other institutions, notably the British Museum, the Society of
Antiquaries, Sion College, and the Royal Horticultural Society.
W. H. M.
_Ruislip, Middlesex._
1922.
CONTENTS
PAGES
PREFACE vii-viii
CONTENTS ix-xiv
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xv-xviii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The Lure of the Labyrinth--Difficulties of Definition--The
Subject and Object of this Book--The Lore of the Labyrinth--
Some Neglected British Monuments--Destructive Dogmatism: a
Plea for Caution 1-5