Tembias - LEGO SPIKE Prime touch sensor robot

Introduction

Do you know what a labyrinth is?

A labyrinth is a complex, confusing structure designed to make people lose their way in its winding pathways.

The story behind the word "Labyrinth" is fascinating and is today's topic! It originates from an ancient Greek myth about the Labrys. According to legend, King Minos of Crete had a magical double-sided battleaxe called the Labrys. To protect it, he had the architect Daedalus build a massive maze and placed the Labrys at its center. This labyrinth also imprisoned a terrifying beast called the Minotaur, a half-bull, half-man creature. After defeating Athens in a war, King Minos demanded that every nine years, seven boys and seven girls be sent to be fed to the Minotaur.

Eventually, the hero Theseus, founder of Athens, traveled to Crete to slay the beast and save the children. King Minos' daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with Theseus and gave him a golden ball of thread to help him navigate the labyrinth. With this and Daedalus' help, Theseus solved the labyrinth, slew the Minotaur, retrieved the Labrys, and escaped with the children and Ariadne.

The myth has some basis in reality. Archaeologists have found remnants of a labyrinth on Crete, and many coins from the period feature an engraved labyrinth, often with a Minotaur inside. The Labrys was also a symbol of Crete and appears on numerous archaeological finds.