Origins of the Maze

A tale from Greek mythology describes the adventures of a young hero and his battle with a monster housed in a maze like structure in the town of Knossos on the island of Crete. This tale, perhaps gives us a record of the first Systems Engineering contractor and man's first accomplishment in Aeronautical Engineering.

The wife of King Minos of Crete was punished by the Gods for disobedience and gave birth to the Minotaur, a flesh eating half man, half bull. The king, obligated to house this creature, contracted Daedalus, an architectural engineer, to design and build a maze which anyone could enter, but from which escape was virtually impossible without assistance. Daedalus designed the maze with high, hedge covered walls spanning several acres. He alone possessed the access secrets to this maze where the Minotaur was to live.

To keep the Minotaur alive, seven Greek men and seven Greek maidens had to be sacrificed yearly as a tribute to King Minos. Theseus, the son of the King of Athens, volunteered to be one of the fourteen. He was wise and clever, and believed he could stop the sacrifice by defeating the Minotaur.

Upon arrival in Crete, Theseus demanded a meeting with King Minos, whereupon he met the King's daughter, Ariadne. She fell in love with Theseus and could not bear to see him killed by a monster. Ariadne convinced Daedalus to reveal the secrets of the maze, enabling Theseus to enter, locate, and defeat the Minotaur and escape. Theseus and Ariadne fled to Athens, where he eventually became King.

King Minos discovered Daedalus’ betrayal and imprisoned Daedalus and his son, Icarus, in the labyrinth for life. Daedalus observed that birds flew in and out of the maze. He designed two shoulder harnesses and outfitted them with the feathers of captured eagles, gluing them in place with beeswax. After extensive training, Daedalus and Icarus flew to the freedom of the Aegean Sea. Icarus, however, disregarded his father's warning and flew too close to the sun. The beeswax melted and he plummeted to his death in what is today called the Icarian Sea. Daedalus flew on to Sicily, where he lived out his days.