This morning, I spent some time online investigating Minoan religious belief and rituals, and came across The Dance of the Labyrinth (read the whole thing because it’s cool), that mentioned the Icelandic name for Labyrinth, Volundarhus, that means ‘Wayland’s House’, Wayland (Volund), being the lame smith from Germanic/Nordic mythology.
According to the Myth, Wayland was held prisoner in his own house, until he eventually managed to avenge himself, and flew away in his ex-wife’s swan suit. This leads to an interesting parallel to Daedalus the craftsman who flew to freedom, with his son Icarus, after both were imprisoned within the labyrinth (that he himself devised). I first noticed the parallel a month ago after reading Walking as Art.
Recently I also started following a thread at Mythography Forums concerning the Greek smith god Hephaestus, that began to investigate craftsman gods in general, including their association with labyrinths (the honey bee dance stuff I found especially fascinating).
Earlier on, I came across another great article called The Sun at Midnight – Metalworking and the Sacred Smith.
It’s an interesting area of research, which can take off in so many different directions. Recently I wrote a short entry entitled In the Footsteps of Recreation, where I focus upon the lame Chinese emperor Yu, who learned how to control the floods by imitating a ritual (shamanic and limping) dance performed by birds, reminiscent of Theseus’s Crane dance, that imitated the complexities of the labyrinth.
I’m really taken by the idea of assuming bird form (like a Shaman) to overcome the labyrinth, and I’m keeping my eye open for any more similar and related myths.
Right, where was I? ah, yes, Minoan religion and ritual….
