Medieval Labyrinth Necklace, Gothic 13th Century

The medieval Labyrinth of Rheims necklace. The ancient meditational device of walking the path of a labyrinth has been widely revived in recent years. Labyrinths appear in many cultures with ancient, medieval and modern examples. Unlike mazes, which are designed to confound, labyrinths have only one path: from beginning to end. Herein lies the allegory of life, or the progress of thought, the cleansing of the mind, the solution to a problem, or the search for meaning in being. Hence the Latin inscription, solvitur ambulando, it is solved by walking, a quotation ascribed to St Augustine. Of hundreds of labyrinths throughout the world, the design laid on the floor of the Cathedral of Rheims in central France is one of the most beautiful. Constructed in the high Gothic style from the early 13th to the 15th centuries, the labyrinth itself was laid out in the late 1200s. The octagonal shape commonly seen in the design of medieval church fonts, is itself a symbol of rebirth and renewal.

1"H x 1"W, Sterling Silver Pendant with 18 inch chain