Product Description

Labyrinths and mazes are found all over the world, and have been a source of intrigue and wonder throughout history. This richly illustrated and carefully documented standard work explores the manifold aspects of labyrinths - from their architectural, astrological, and mythological significance, to their iconographical, mathematical, amd artistic fascination, while also examining their socio-historical context.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #792193 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09
• Original language: German
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 360 pages

Review
"the ultimate source" -- Gernot Condolini, author of European publications on ;abyrinths

From the Publisher
"Through the Labyrinth" is a groundbreaking and exhaustive interdisciplinary study of a fascinating cultural phenomenon. The author introduces the reader to such different labyrinth forms as rock engravings on Trojan castles, medieval manuscipts, church labyrinths, and Baroque garden mazes. He traces the origins, developments, and changing meanings of this mystic form from the Bronze Age to the present day. The labyrinth's dominant position in Western civilization is supplemented by explorations in other cultures around the globe, including those of Egypt, India, and North America. By taking a close look through the centuries at different cultures and across the continents, the cultural and historical significance of the maze takes on a new light. Supplemented by recent findings by prominent labyrinth scholars from the U.S. and Europe, this visually gripping scientific study will captivate both the layman and the expert.

About the Author
The Author: The internationally renowned art historian and lawyer Hermann Kern (1941-1985) published extensively in art and cultural history. From 1982-1985, he was Director of the Haus der Kunst in Munich, and curated many exhibitions including "Labyrinth" held in Milan, Italy, in 1981.

The Editors: Robert Ferre is Director of the Saint Louis Labyrinth Society abd a leading scholar in the field of labyrinth study and desgin. Jeff Saward is Editor of the British-based journal "Caerdroia: The Journal of Mazes and Labyrinths", and one of the world's most respected authorities on labyrinths past, present, and future.

Customer Reviews

World's greatest labyrinth compendium
A museum curator, Hermann Kern spent six years researching labyrinths for an exhibition in Italy in 1980. He then expanded that information and assembled the most complete compendium of labyrinth information ever assembled, from history to the modern era. Published by Prestel, a company in Munich, Germany, that specializes in art books, this compendium was available only in German until the current English edition, which took three years to translate and update. New material has been added to cover discoveries and contemporary labyrinths of the last 20 years, making this the most complete presentation of labyrinth information anywhere. It contains hundreds of photos. Granted, Hermann Kern is quite opinionated and confident of his opinions. Nevertheless, any serious labyrinth enthusiast should own this book. I rate it four rather than five stars because, except for a color section in the beginning, all of the photos are in black and white.

The Labyrinth Bible
This book is known by general consent as the "Labyrinth Bible" -the ultimate tool for the knowledge of the history and meaning of such a mysterious symbol.
Written by German lawyer and art historian Hermann Kern as a catalogue for a labyrinth exhibition hold at Milan, Italy, in 1981 this encyclopedic work covers the social and cultural world panorama from pre-history to modern times; the new English version is enriched with a new chapter by North-American expert Robert Ferré on modern labyrinth revival and with addenda written by British specialist Jeff Saward.
The cyclopic knowledge Hermann Kern shows in this complex, bewildering and paradoxical subject sounds sometimes ambivalent (like the symbol itself) but the book as a whole is a very good and important resource to understand the entangled complexity of this millenary symbol; with an almost thorough black-and-white catalogue (enriched with some magnificent colored photographs) of the most historical labyrinths known up to the 20th century; in addition to this the author approaches the several questions that baffle the labyrinth study like the origin of its conceptual idea or its symbolic meaning.
Historically the book is an impressive research from classical authors until recent geographical findings all over the world. However, his rationalistic approach misses the poetical (and potential) "Weltanschauung" needed to penetrate into the enlightened knowledge which transcends space, cultural concrete applications and time; besides this particular aspect this new version would deserve a better translation.
We, scholars, artists, researchers and enthusiasts are all indebted to Hermann Kern (as well as to Robert Ferré and Jeff Saward) for this (en)cyclopic work, which opened doors leading into the exciting field of further research.

The Definative Primer on Labyrinths
The labyrinth is one of those symbols that have been found in almost every sacred tradition, from pre-historic to Grace Cathedral San Francsco. Unfortunately the richness of this symbol is not yet realized in the current rebirth of labyrinth popularity.

This book is the masterwork that shows the depth and diversity found in the tradition of the sacred path. LThe labyrinth story is told through many photographs of labyrinths from all cultures and belief systems. Especially fascinating are the classical Roman and Greek labyrinths, litte known great cathedral labyrinths, Hebraic labyrinths, Native American labyrinths, Hindi labyrinths.... I suppose you have the idea by now. The labyrith is a part of everyone's cultural and faith heritage. Find your's in this magnificent tome.