1772 Rare Litta Labyrinth or Maze

A mysterious 1772 representation of a now unknown architectural labyrinth supposedly discovered in 1769 by Carolus (Carlo) Litta, a Milanese grandee. The grandiose maze is astounding in its size and complexity, and it would be difficult to imagine such an necessarily enormous structure surviving the ages, nonetheless, similar if smaller structures have been discovered in throughout the Mediterranean.

A Closer Look

As indicated by the text surrounding the maze, this sheet is a proportional representation of a labyrinth discovered by Carlo Litta in 1769, which he here described in 1772. Unfortunately, no publication information or details of the Litta's discovery are provided. Many labyrinths were discovered throughout the Mediterranean in the 18th and 19th centuries as the modern field of archaeology developed. Details about Litta's life and works are scarce, but being a member of one of the most prominent Milanese families, he was typical of the noble-intellectuals who had the means and time to undertake such investigations.

Labyrinths

Labyrinths have been a part of human culture and mythology since antiquity. The term originated from the ancient Greek 'λαβύρινθος' (labyrinthos), but the concept predates the Greeks. The most famous labyrinth in antiquity was the Labyrinth of Crete, an elaborate structure designed by Daedalus at the command of King Minos to house the beastly Minotaur. Archaeologically, the earliest known labyrinths are found in petroglyphs and inscriptions dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. One of the oldest, the 'Babylonian Labyrinth', is a spiraling design incised on a clay tablet from Pylos, Greece, dating around 1200 BCE. Labyrinths were also used in ancient Egypt, with Herodotus, the Greek historian, describing an Egyptian labyrinth near Lake Moeris that supposedly surpassed the pyramids in grandeur, containing some 3000 rooms and two levels. These ancient labyrinths were often used for rituals and ceremonies, thought to be a way of connecting with the divine or as a form of meditation or spiritual journey.

Publication History and Census

This labyrinth was drawn by Carlo Litta in 1769, and with additions published in 1772. There is no known history of this work in institutional collections or on the market, making a truly unique find.