Labyrinths | Ancient Labyrinths | Christian Labyrinths
Christian Labyrinths
The most intriguing evidence for medieval labyrinths can be found in Christian churches, particularly in France. The most famous is found in the nave of Chartres Cathedral and is known to have been constructed in 1202. Did this pavement have a Christian interpretation and some sort of ritual function? Originally it had a brass plate at the centre incised with an image of, not Jesus or Jerusalem - but Theseus and the Minotaur!
Similar labyrinth pavements were also created in other church buildings including Rheims and Bayeux (where the pavement is in the Chapter House). They are also found in churches in other European countries from Italy to England.
In recent years such labyrinths have been used as an aid to prayer and meditation. There are suggestions that they were used either for penance or as the track for a kind of mini-pilgrimage. But there is not much evidence for this. The Theseus image at the centre of the Chartres labyrinth suggests that it was purely decorative – and the church often used secular motifs and images, particularly in areas away from the altar. Theseus, the good hero, might even have been seen as a St George figure.
In 1779 the labyrinth in Rheims Cathedral was destroyed because children made too much noise playing on it during services! This association of labyrinths with children is also found in 17th century documents which describe the way turf and stone labyrinths were used in both England and Scandinavia. Children and teenagers used them for racing and courtship games.
As well as all the speculation about what labyrinths were for, we need to remember that they are also good fun!