The mnemonics of the Cretan labyrinth

The aim of this paper is to examine the various possible symbolic mnemonic devices that the ‘Cretan labyrinth’ can be constructed from. The ‘Cretan labyrinth’ has been used throughout history, sometimes as graffiti. Yet it has a complex and difficult structure, not a structure that you would expect to find in graffiti that would have been constructed in a hurry. The structure does suggest that it was drawn from the center expanded out form a very simple symbol. This paper concentrates on all the possible different ways of constructing it. These simple mnemonic symbols may explain the longevity and popularity of the complex structure of the ‘Cretan labyrinth’.