Re: Labyrinths

Sabine,

Thanks your reply, informative as always. I envy you in Crete now that Spring is coming. I'm writing this from the steamy jungles of Borneo, except that the jungles have been burnt down. So, it's pretty well impossible for me to get hold of the article you mention.

I was aware of the d>l phenomenon in Latin, but I don't know if this is a feature of Greek, or Mycenean, phonology. Are 'daphnE' and 'laurus' cognate forms?

I'm pleased to see that we agree that the labyrinth is a religious symbol, not a commercial one, and your last posting seems to be saying that the bull was an essential part in the Minoan mystery.

I'm afraid however I can't oblige with the plea for no further mentions of Egypt in this context. I fail to see how the Carian Labraunda (do you have an approximate dating for this?) is any more feasible than Herodotos' labyrinth, which dates back to the 19^th century BCE.

Even the Enc.Britannia states that the origin of the word derives from the Egyptian for "Temple at the Mouth of the Lake" (the lake being Moeris or Fayyum). The district at the "Mouth of Fayyum" is called El-Lahun, from Coptic LiHone/LaHone, written in Egyptian as R-Hnt. The problem is that the whole phrase, "R-pr r-Hnt" is not attested in Egyptian.

There is however another possibility, deriving from another name for Amenemhe III (for whom the complex was built), N m3'.t R', which was rendered in various ways in Greek, including Labaris and Labares. Add the Egyptian "n-tj-r" "divine" and you've just about got Labyrinthos.

There's more similar stuff, which will probably make your blood boil, in my posting to John.

Best Regards

Dennis