Under Main Street

Prehistoric labyrinths are believed to have served as traps for malevolent spirits or as defined paths for ritual dances. However, one function of... more

by Jenny Revitz Soper

Title

Under Main Street

Artist

Jenny Revitz Soper

Medium

Photograph - Digital Enhancements Added

Description

Prehistoric labyrinths are believed to have served as traps for malevolent spirits or as defined paths for ritual dances. However, one function of the labyrinth in Christian places of worship may been apotropaic, since complex designs were thought to frighten and prevent demons access. In medieval times, the labyrinth symbolized a hard path to God with a clearly defined center (God) and one entrance (birth).

Those who study signs and symbols suggest various possible meanings, including not only a sacred path to the home of a sacred ancestor, but also, perhaps, a representation of the ancestor himself. There is also a common theme of the labyrinth being a refuge for a trickster; in India, the demon Ravana has dominion over labyrinths, the trickster Djonaha lives in a labyrinth according to Sumatran Bataks, and Europeans say it is the home of a rogue.




Featured on the homepage of the following Artist Groups:
Crazy Artists 4/09/2017
The Abstract Artist 4/15/2017
The Unexpected Wordsmith 4/21/2017
Monthly Themed 6/6/2017
Digital Art and Photography for a Simple Imagination - 12/2020

Uploaded

April 9th, 2017