Thanks very much to Mike Gaukroger, Chairman of the Ventnor Enhancement Fund (VEF) for sharing details of this Diplodocus Labyrinth. Ed
Ventnor Enhancement Fund has temporarily marked a labyrinth on grass over the cliffs west of Ventnor, above La Falaise car park, at the site of what was the Open Air Theatre.
The labyrinth is the shape of a dinosaur, with the entrance at the mouth and the end-point at the stomach. More specifically, it is the full size and shape of a “Diplodocus” at 44m long and 12m from the base of the feet to the top of the back.
Labyrinths are objects dating back to Greek mythology and there are many ancient examples. They can be great tourist attractions. They differ from mazes in that there are no junctions – a long and indirect route leads to the centre. The Romans created labyrinth designs in tile or mosaic.
The classical 7-circuit design was inscribed on coins as early as 430BC. Our unique labyrinth has been derived from the classical 7-circuit design, with the addition of zigzags within the neck and tail sections and a path linking the two across the top of the back. The four “turning points” in the classical design have been rearranged to point downwards, forming the legs.
The work was carried out by a small team from VEF with the kind permission of Isle of Wight Council and Ventnor Town Council. VEF would like to take this opportunity to thank Ventnor Cricket Club for the loan of their white line marking machine. If the labyrinth proves to be popular then we will seek permission to level the ground and mark it more permanently.
