Ama-labyrinth Nama-maze—Kungani Ethakazelisa Kangaka?

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eBrithani

Nakuba igama (lesiNgisi) elithi “labyrinth” nelithi “maze” engase asetshenziswe ngendlela efanayo, awafani ngempela. I-labyrinth inendlela emazombezombe eya phakathi nendawo. Kanti i-maze inoxhaxha lwamaphasishi azungezayo, futhi indlela eqondile, uma itholakala, ngokuvamile ingena phakathi kulolu xhaxha, iphume ngenye indlela.

Kokubili ama-labyrinth nama-maze angabethusa, abaxake noma abakhungathekise labo abangena kuwo. Kodwa ama-labyrinth asendulo ahlangene nezinganekwane zezinkolelo-ze. Pho-ke, kungani abakhi bamasonto eLobukholwa bafaka ama-labyrinth ezakhiweni zabo? Impendulo iyathakazelisa.

YINI evelele ezintweni ezakhiwa amaGibithe asendulo? Abanye ababhali bathi kwakuyi-Labyrinth, kwakungeyona imibhoshongo ecijile, njengoba abaningi bekholelwa. Yayakhiwe eduze kweChibi iMoeris, namuhla elaziwa ngokuthi iChibi iQarun, elisentshonalanga yoMfula iNayile futhi elisebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-80 eningizimu nedolobha lanamuhla iCairo.

Ngekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E., isazi-mlando esingumGreki uHerodotus sabhala: “Ngavakashela le ndawo [iLabyrinth] futhi ngathola ukuthi ngiphelelwa amazwi okuyichaza; ngoba uma zonke izindonga neminye imisebenzi emikhulu yamaGreki bekungahlanganiswa, bekungeke kulingane nale Labyrinth, ngomsebenzi nangezindleko.” Wanezela: “ILabyrinth iyidlulela kude imibhoshongo ecijile.” Emakhulwini amane eminyaka kamuva, uStrabo, esinye isazi-mlando esingumGreki, sathi iLabyrinth “iwumsebenzi olingana nowemibhoshongo ecijile,” nakuba yayisiwohloké kakhulu ngesikhathi sisho lokhu.

Le ndawo yavakashelwa yisazi-mlando uF. Barham Zincke ngo-1871, futhi ekugcineni isazi semivubukulo uFlinders Petrie sathola inxiwa ngo-1888. Kwase kusele izicucu nje zeLabyrinth ngaleso sikhathi, futhi namuhla izincwadi zokwaziswa kwababuki bamazwe azisayiphathi nokuyiphatha. Nokho, iLabyrinth yake yaduma. Yayinjani, futhi yakhiwelani?

Incazelo Nenjongo

ILabyrinth yakhiwa ngasekuqaleni komlando waseGibithe, mhlawumbe ngisho nangaphambi kokuba amaHeberu ahlale eGibithe. (Genesise 46:1-27) Kuthiwa yayinamakamelo angu-3 000 ayehlukaniselwe ezitezini ezimbili ngokulinganayo—esinye isitezi sasingaphansi komhlaba. Yayingamamitha-skwele angaba ngu-70 000.

Amaphasishi, izinkundla, amakamelo nezinsika zeLabyrinth okwakuyinkimbinkimbi kwakuxaka kangangokuthi isihambi sasingeke sikwazi ukuzingenela—nokuziphumela—ngaphandle komqondisi. Okuningi kwakusebumnyameni, futhi uma eminye iminyango ivulwa, kuthiwa yayibanga umsindo osabekayo sengathi kuduma izulu. Ngemva kokuwa koMbuso Wezwe WaseGibithe, izinsika zeLabyrinth ezinhle zegwadle elibomvu, amatshe amakhulu ayizicaba, nama-limestone abushelelezi acwebezelayo kwathathwa kwaphinde kwasetshenziswa.

Nakuba kuthiwa iLabyrinth yayiyisikhungo amakhosi aseGibithe ayebusela kuso izwe, umsebenzi wayo ngempela wawungokwenkolo. Yayiyisakhiwo sethempeli okwakwenzelwa kulo iminikelo yabo bonke onkulunkulu baseGibithe. Izivakashi zazingavunyelwe ukubona amakamelo eLabyrinth angaphansi, ayenamathuna amakhosi nezingwenya ezingcwele.

Ukubaluleka kweLabyrinth ezinganekwaneni kuhlangene nemikhuba engokwenkolo eyayizungeze unkulunkulu waseGibithe u-Osiris, amaGibithe ayekholelwa ukuthi wake waba yinkosi yaseGibithe. U-Osiris wayewunkulunkulu wabafile, noma unkulunkulu wezwe elingaphansi komhlaba.

Inganekwane Nokungafi

Ukufa kuka-Osiris kwakudlalwa eMdlalweni Oyimfihlakalo waseGibithe owawenziwa minyaka yonke. Kwakuyisiko ukuhlaba u-Apis, inkunzi engcwele, esikhundleni sika-Osiris bese kuklabalaswa kukhalwa. Lokhu kukhala kwakuphenduka injabulo lapho umpristi ophethe umcimbi ememezela izindaba ezinhle zokuvuka kuka-Osiris. KumaGibithe, lezi zenzakalo eziyinqaba kwakuyizo ezibalulekile ethembeni labo lokuphila. Ayekholelwa ukuthi wonke umuntu, hhayi nje inkosi kuphela, wayehlangana no-Osiris lapho efa.

Incwadi ethi The Labyrinth, eyahlelwa uProfesa S. H. Hooke, yaphawula: “EGibithe, inganekwane yokuqala ka-Osiris ithi kungenzeka ukuthi kwakunamandla ayebeka engozini ukuphila kwenkosi engunkulunkulu, kokubili emhlabeni nasezweni labafile.” Ngakho-ke iLabyrinth, kanye noxhaxha lwayo lwamaphasishi olukhungathekisayo, kwakukholelwa ukuthi ivikela inkosi engunkulunkulu ezitheni zayo kulokhu kuphila nakokuzayo—ngisho nasekufeni ngokwako.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, inkolelo yokuthi umuntu akafi, yagxila eGibithe lasendulo nakulo lonke izwe. Ngempela, imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo womuntu eyakhula emakhulwini eminyaka alandela, ngokushesha yamukelwa amakhosi nayiso sonke isintu.

ILabyrinth YaseKrethe

I-labyrinth eyayiseKnossos, esiqhingini saseKrethe, ngokusobala yakhiwa eminyakeni ethile ngemva kweyaseGibithe. Nakuba inxiwa layo lingatholakali, umlando uthi yayifana neyaseGibithe, kodwa yona incane kakhulu.a Igama elithi “labyrinth” kungenzeka livela egameni elithi laʹbrys, elisho imbazo egenca nhlangothi zombili emelela izimpondo ezimbili zenkunzi engcwele. Le nkunzi yayisetshenziswa ekukhulekeleni kwaseKrethe, okwakuthonywe kakhulu yizinganekwane.

I-labyrinth yaseKrethe yayidumile ezinganekwaneni ngenxa yesakhamuzi sayo uMinotaur—indoda yenganekwane enekhanda lenkunzi. UPasiphaë, inkosikazi kaMinos, inkosi yaseKrete, kuthiwa nguye owazala lesi sidalwa—yingakho igama laso kunguMinotaur, okusho ukuthi “iNkunzi kaMinos.” Ngokwale nganekwane, idolobha lase-Athens lehlulwa lapho lilwa neKrethe, futhi abantu bakhona babephoqelekile ukuba njalo ngemva kweminyaka engu-9 bathumele intsha engu-14—abafana abangu-7 namantombazane angu-7—babe ngumnikelo kuMinotaur. Le ntsha yayidedelwa kuyi-labyrinth, lapho yayilahleka khona futhi okuthiwa yayishwabadelwa uMinotaur.

Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi omunye osemusha, uTheseus, wacela inselele wangena kuyi-labyrinth ukuze abulale le nunu enkulu yasenganekwaneni. Lapho behlangana, kuthiwa uTheseus wabulala uMinotaur ngenkemba yakhe. Ukuze abaleke, waphindela emuva ngokuhamba ezinyathelweni zakhe elandela intambo enombala wegolide, ayeyidonsa phansi ukusuka ekungeneni kuyi-labyrinth. Le ntambo wayeyinikwe u-Ariadne, indodakazi yeNkosi uMinos.

UMichael Ayrton, owenza lokhu kuqhathanisa ecabangela i-labyrinth yaseKrethe, wachaza: “Ukuphila komuntu ngamunye kuyinkimbinkimbi, phakathi nayo kukhona ukufa kwakhe, futhi ngisho nangemva kokufa kungase kwenzeke adlule enkanankaneni yokugcina ngaphambi kokuba kuphele ngaye.” Ngalo mqondo, ukubaleka okuyisimanga kukaTheseus wenganekwane e-labyrinth kwakufanekisela ukuzalwa kwakhe kabusha, ukubaleka kwakhe ekufeni. Iyaphinda futhi imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo iba sobala.

IGreece NeRoma

Indlela yokwakhiwa kwe-labyrinth yaseKrethe ibonakala ezinhlamvwini zemali ezitholakala eKnossos. Ngokushesha le ndlela yaqala ukusetshenziswa ngamaGreki namaRoma. UPliny ukhuluma nge-labyrinth esesiqhingini saseSamos, esikuyiMedithera, kanye nenye esesiqhingini saseLemnos eyayidume ngobuhle bezinsika zayo ezingu-150. Ukhuluma nangethuna lase-Etruria eliphambili, umlobi uVarro wakuqala abhala ngalo, okuthiwa laline-labyrinth engaphansi.

Idolobha lasePompeii, elabhujiswa ukuqhuma kweNtaba iVesuvius ngo-79 C.E., okungenani lalinama-labyrinth amabili okuhlobisa. Enye yawo, iNdlu yeLabyrinth, idume ngomdwebo wayo ovelele obonisa ukulwa kukaTheseus noMinotaur. Umbhali uMarcel Brion uyaphika ukuthi lokhu “kufanekisela ukuphila komuntu nohambo olunzima umphefumulo okumelwe uluthathe kuleli zwe nakwelizayo ngaphambi kokuba uthole isimo esibusisiwe sokungafi.”

Izingane ngesikhathi sokubusa kwamaRoma zazidlala imidlalo ngama-labyrinth ahlelwe ezingadini nasezindaweni eziseduze nomgwaqo. Namuhla kulo lonke elaseYurophu kunezinsalela eziningi ze-labyrinth engaphansi ehlotshiswe ngamatshe emaphandleni aseRoma nakwezinye izakhiwo zomphakathi zaseRoma ezavubukulwa. Kodwa le mibono yezinganekwane yanda ngokushesha ngisho nasezindaweni ezikude.

Emazweni Amaningi

Ithempeli likaHalebid, eMysore, eNdiya, linengxenye ehlotshisiwe ehlanganisa ne-labyrinth. Njengoba lakhiwa cishe ngekhulu le-13 leminyaka C.E., lifanekisela isiqephu senkondlo i-Mahabharata.

AmaShayina ayekholelwa ukuthi imimoya emibi ikwazi ukundiza iqondé kuphela, ngakho-ke ayakha iminyango enjengeye-labyrinth ukuze avimbe imimoya emibi ingangeni emizini yawo nasemadolobheni.

EScandinavia, kunama-labyrinth akhiwe ngamatshe angaphezu kuka-600 ogwini loLwandle iBaltic. Kuthiwa amaningi awo akhiwa abadobi bendawo ababehamba bechusha kuwo ngenxa yenkolelo-ze yokuthi lokho kuzobenza babambe izinhlanzi eziningi futhi babuye bephephile.

ESt. Agnes, isiqhingi esincane esisogwini lweningizimu-ntshonalanga yeCornwall, eNgilandi, kune-maze eyavuselelwa ngo-1726 ngumgcini wendlu yezibani zokuxwayisa imikhumbi eyayisenxiweni lendala.

Okuthakazelisa kakhulu kwabaningi ukuthi i-labyrinth iye yaqala ukusetshenziswa emasontweni eLobukholwa. Cabangela izibonelo ezimbalwa.

Ama-labyrinth Nama-maze ELobukholwa

Phakathi kwama-labyrinth amaningi aphawulekayo ezakhiweni zenkolo zeLobukholwa, encane kakhulu kumelwe kube yileyo yangekhulu le-15 yomhlobiso wokhuni oyindilinga oqoshwe phezulu ophahleni lweSt. Mary Redcliffe, isonto eliseBristol, eNgilandi. Ipendwe ngokusagolide nokumnyama, ingamasentimitha angu-20 ubude. I-labyrinth edume kakhulu iseCathedral eseChartres, eFrance. Yakhiwa ngonyaka ka-1235, ngamatshe aluhlaza namhlophe, ingamamitha ayishumi ububanzi.

Ama-maze amakhulu angaphansi ayekwamanye amasonto ombhishobhi namasonto avamile aseFrance nase-Italy angenkathi ephakathi, kuhlanganise nalawo ase-Amiens, eBayeux, e-Orléans, eRavenna naseToulouse. Leyo eseReims yabhidlizwa eminyakeni engu-200 edlule, futhi i-maze yeCathedral yaseMirepoix inezici ezifana nezikuMinotaur.

Mayelana nokufakwa kwama-labyrinth ezakhiweni ezivelele zenkolo, esinye isikhulu sabhala: “Ama-labyrinth obuqaba athathwa isonto lobuKristu langenkathi ephakathi futhi lawavumelanisa nezimo zalo ngokufaka izimpawu zobuKristu emklamweni wawo.” Ngakho-ke, ngokusobala ama-labyrinth ayesetshenziswa emasontweni eLobukholwa ukuze amelele ukuphila komKristu, ngokuvumelana nenganekwane eyasungulwa amaGibithe asendulo.

Ama-maze esonto ayesetshenziselwa nokubonisa uhambo olwaluthathwa amabutho ezimpi zenkolo eya eJerusalema. Ukufinyelela phakathi nendawo kwakufanekisela ukufika eJerusalema nokuthola insindiso. Abanye abakhulekeli babebheka i-maze njengendlela yohambo lokuphenduka ezonweni okufanele iqedelwe ngokugaqa ngamadolo ukuze uthethelelwe izono noma ihanjwe ngendlela yesiko esikhundleni sohambo lokuya eZweni Elingcwele.

Ama-maze Enhlabathi

Ama-labyrinth ayenziwa ngokumba enhlabathini, ayebizwa ngokuthi ama-maze enhlabathi, akhiwa ekhulwini le-12 nele-13, ikakhulukazi eNgilandi. Ngokungangabazeki kamuva amaningi asetshenziselwa ukuzijabulisa, kodwa njengoba ayefana nama-labyrinth asezakhiweni zesonto, abanye abantu babewabheka njengabalulekile ngokwenkolo. I-maze yenhlabathi enkulu kakhulu emhlabeni, ezinye izikhulu ezicabanga ukuthi isineminyaka engaphezu kwengu-800 ikhona, isesigangeni eSaffron Walden, esifundazweni sase-Essex. Ayivamile ngenxa yokuthi inezindonga ezine eziphumile ezinkulu eziphakeme emakhoneni. Ubude bendlela yayo cishe bungamakhilomitha amabili.

UW. H. Matthews uhlobanisa isici esingokomlando nesenganekwane, ephawula ukuthi ama-maze noma ama-labyrinth angokwenkolo “angase abhekwe njengafanekisela izinhlupho zokuphila kwaleli zwe, ezinganqotshwa kuphela ngentambo ka-Ariadne ewumusa waphezulu.”—Mazes and Labyrinths—Their History and Development.

Ingabe kuyakumangaza ukuthi ama-maze nama-labyrinth nakuba enomsuka wobuqaba ayathandwa kweLobukholwa? Ingabe ubuKristu beqiniso bungavumelana nezinkolelo-ze zobuqaba?

Ayavumelana Nokholo LobuKristu?

Nakuba umlando we-labyrinth uthakazelisa, izinkolelo ezihambisana nayo azivumelani nokholo lobuKristu. Akukho lapho iBhayibheli lifundisa khona ukuthi umphefumulo womuntu uhlukile emzimbeni nokuthi uyaqhubeka uphila lapho umuntu efa. Kunalokho, iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi umphefumulo womuntu uyafa. Lithi: “Umphefumulo owonayo uyakufa.”—Hezekeli 18:4.

IZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, linamandla futhi liye lafaniswa nenkemba, ‘inkemba yomoya.’ AmaKristu asisebenzisa kahle lesi sikhali ukuze anqobe isidalwa somoya esingokoqobo, esingaphezu komuntu nesingabonakali kanye namademoni aso, hhayi uMinotaur wasenganekwaneni. (Efesu 6:12, 17) Ngenxa yalokho, anokholo olungenakunqotshwa nethemba eliqinisekile lensindiso. Lokhu kuyowasiza adlule ekupheleni kwalesi simiso samanje sezinto aze afike ezweni elisha lokulunga—into ukukholelwa ezinganekwaneni okungenakuyenza.—2 Petru 3:13.

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Ama-maze Okuzilibazisa

Eminyakeni engu-600 edlule, kwakhiwa uhlobo olusha lwe-maze. Yayingahlangene nenkolo kodwa yayenzelwe ukuhlobisa. Kulo lonke elaseNgilandi ama-maze asezingadini aqala ukwanda. Ekugcineni la ma-maze enziwa aba yinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, futhi izindlela zawo zazihamba ezihlahleni zamapulangwe, ezazingatheneka kalula.

Eminyakeni yamuva nje, kuye kwaba khona ama-maze amaningi adidayo ezweni lonke. Izingane kanye nabadala bayawathanda. Ayathakazelisa ngempela!

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Ukusebenzisa KweLobukholwa I-labyrinth

Isigodlo iWestminster saseLondon sisanda kukhipha le ndwangu ye-altare ehlotshiswe kabusha. Phawula i-labyrinth ephakathi enamazwi athi “Α” (alpha, “THE BEGINNING” [UKUQALA]) no-“Ω” (omega, “THE END” [UKUGCINA]). Phakathi komklamo wale-labyrinth, phawula amazwi athi “I AM,” [NGINGU-] amelela uJehova, u-“NGINGU-” omkhulu okukhulunywa ngaye ku-Eksodusi 3:14, King James Version. Lesi isibonelo sanamuhla esithakazelisayo sokuhlobana okuseduze kwe-labyrinth nenkolo namuhla.

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Photo: David Johnson

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Izinhlamvu zemali zangekhulu lesine nelesihlanu B.C.E. ezatholakala eKnossos, eKrethe. Phawula ukwakheka kwe-“labyrinth” nekhanda lenkunzi, emelela uMinotaur

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Copyright British Museum

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I-“maze” yenhlabathi enkulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni, eSaffron Walden, eNgilandi

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Courtesy Saffron Walden Tourist Office