BY ZACH MORTICE
Yew Maze, Hever Castle & Gardens, Kent, UK, 1904. Courtesy Hever Castle & Gardens
Labyrinths and mazes are meandering ways to get from one place to another. As such, they?ve mostly been placed in the arena of baronial garden follies like topiary: trimmed hedges, a gazebo at its center, some ducks in a pond, and a high five once you?ve successfully traversed from point A to B. But author Francesca Tatarella has found that labyrinths? persistence over time and their geographic pervasiveness are clues to a much deeper truth. In her book Labyrinths and Mazes: A Journey Through Art, Architecture, and Landscape (Princeton Architectural Press, 2016), she sees them as a set of existential questions we ask ourselves. ?Labyrinths help us draw closer to mystery, and stave off the fear that the unknown creates in us,? she writes. ?They deal with questions such as: Should I even start a journey if I don?t know where it will take me" Will I get lost if I head down an unknown path" And if I do get lost, will I be able to find my way back"? By navigating a labyrinth?s contours and completing its choreographed rituals of movement, she believes we can master a small bit of our inner world, which can help us bring life?s ambient chaos to heel. ?Traveling through a labyrinth or maze takes away its power,? Tatarella writes. ?If I manage to overcome my fear and venture into the unknown, I will find my way to the exit and prove to myself and everyone else ho...