2,000-Year-Old Indian Labyrinth Mirrors Ancient Greek Design from 1200 BC
"In 2015, India was the site of a fascinating find: a labyrinth, at least two thousand years old, that shares the same pattern as one depicted on a clay tablet discovered in Pylos, Greece, dating back to 1200 BC. Is this merely an astounding coincidence, or does it suggest a historical linkage between these distant cultures?"
Labyrinths are certainly among the most enigmatic structures conceived by humanity. The oldest labyrinthine scheme was found in Sardinia (Italy), in the Tomb of the Labyrinth (Luzzanas), engraved on a rock belonging to a burial which according to experts dates back to the Neolithic era, about 2500 BC.
The best known of antiquity is certainly the legendary labyrinth of Knossos, which according to Greek mythology was built by King Minos on the island of Crete to enclose the monstrous Minotaur, born from the union of the king's wife, Pasiphae, with a bull.
The symbolism and meaning of labyrinths in the ancient world are complex and multiple. According to scholar J.C. Cooper, in some Asian cultures the labyrinth was linked to the laws of Karma and the cycle of Samsara, or the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation in the human world. Managing to escape the labyrinth of Samsara meant reaching enlightenment, breaking the cycle of rebirth, and reaching eternity. In other cultures symbolism is linked to overcoming the difficulties of present life, a sort of passage from the profane to the sacred.
“Life's journey through the difficulties and illusions of the world leads to enlightenment,”
Cooper writes.
"Entering a labyrinth symbolizes the death of the individual, while exiting is equivalent to rebirth".
In 2015 a group of Indian archaeologists discovered a labyrinth that dates back to 2000 BC. The structure is located in the village of Gedimedu and measures 17 square meters. Locals have erected a temple over the labyrinth, but archaeologists are seeking permission to remove it to allow for further excavation and study.
The discovered labyrinth shows a path that starts from the entrance door to the exit. One has to walk through the right path to reach the goal. It is believed that the person capable of following the path correctly will see his wishes come true.
What makes this discovery interesting is a curious coincidence: the Indian labyrinth shows a path practically similar to the path engraved on a clay tablet found in Pylos, Greece, dated back to 1200 BC. The Greek labyrinth one of the oldest known schemes.
It is difficult to establish whether this is a remarkable coincidence, or whether Greek and Indian cultures somehow came into contact in antiquity. According to some hypotheses, both could have been inspired by an older culture, pre-existing to both.
Original article: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/2000-year-old-labyrinth-uncovered-india-shows-same-pattern-greek-maze-020474
