Labyrinths are unicursal patterns, which means that there is one path in, and one path out, with no forced choices. This unicursal pattern makes them popular in contemporary contemplative practices. Their historical uses are not always clear, but it is an archetypal pattern that has existed for thousands of years.

The classical labyrinth pattern is the oldest surviving labyrinth design we have found. Exact dates are uncertain, but we can confidently say that it is at least 4,000 years old. It was the basis for most labyrinth designs that we know of until the Roman Era and continued to be used well beyond the introduction of different patterns. It remains one of the most popular labyrinth patterns for contemporary labyrinth construction.

“Seven-circuit” refers to the number of times the path winds around the centre. Labyrinths can be consrtuected with any odd-number of circuits, however, the earliest preserved labyrinths were seven-circuit and it remains the most popular configuration for the classical labyrinth.

There are many resources available for further information on the history and contemporary revival of labyrinths, including, most notably, Labyrinthos, The Labyrinth Society, and Veriditas.

Andy’s original design for the labyrinth included a series of trees to be planted along the perimeter, corresponding to the letters of the Proto-Irish/Old Irish ogham writing system. Derived from folklore and mediaeval sources, the tree correspondences were taken up by modern Pagans and expanded into a system of divination and calendar. The trees were planted, but the growing conditions were not favorable that year and most did not survive. Along the perimeter, there remain two wooden signs that Andy carved with the names of the ogham that correspond to the trees he planted. Luis, pictured below, is the second letter of the ogham alphabet and corresponds to the rowan, or mountain ash tree. Quert, also pictured, corresponds to the apple tree.

At the entrance of the Dunure Labyrinth is a crescent of crushed slate and stones, intended to represent a Pictish crescent and V-rod symbol. Historically, these symbols have been found on Pictish stones of class 1 (Pictish symbols only) and class 2 (Pictish and Christian symbols) as well as metal and bone objects. A few even turn up carved on the walls of caves. While the local area’s history is more Brythonic than Pictish, Andy’s choice to incorporate this symbol speaks to the broader connection of Scottish identity as a whole with the Pictish past.