Labyrinths have existed for well over 4,000 years.

螺旋形迷宫已经有4000多年的历史。

Labyrinths and labyrinthine symbols have been found in regions as diverse as modern-day Turkey, Ireland, Greece, and India.

在今天的土耳其、爱尔兰、希腊和印度等不同地区都有发现螺旋形迷宫和与之相关的符号。

There are various designs of labyrinth but what they all have in common is a winding spiral path which leads to a central area.

螺旋形迷宫的设计多种多样，但它们的共同点是都有一条蜿蜒的螺旋路径，通向中心区域。

There is one starting point at the entrance and the goal is to reach the central area.

入口处有一个起点，行进的目的是到达迷宫的中心区域。

Finding your way through a labyrinth involves many twists and turns, but it's not possible to get lost as there is only one single path.

要想在螺旋形迷宫中找到方向，需要经历许多曲折。但因为只有一条路，所以不可能迷路。

In modern times, the word labyrinth has taken on a different meaning and is often used as a synonym for a maze.

在现代，螺旋形迷宫这个词有了不同的含义，经常被用作矩形迷宫（maze）的同义词。

A maze is quite different as it is a kind of puzzle with an intricate network of paths.

矩形迷宫却是十分不同，因为它有复杂路径网络，使人迷惑。

Mazes became fashionable in the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe, and can still be found in the gardens of great houses and palaces.

矩形迷宫在15世纪和16世纪在欧洲流行起来，现如今，在豪华房屋和宫殿的花园中仍然可以看到这类迷宫。

The paths are usually surrounded by thick, high hedges so that it's not possible to see over them.

迷宫内的路径周围有又高又密的树篱，因此无法从上方看到外面。

Entering a maze usually involves getting lost a few times before using logic to work out the pattern and find your way to the centre and then out again.

前几次进入迷宫经常要迷路，随后可以利用逻辑推算出迷宫的图案从而找到通往中心的路，再成功走出。

There are lots of dead ends and paths which lead you back to where you started.

迷宫内有很多死胡同，还有一些道路会把带你绕回起点。

The word 'maze' is believed to come from a Scandinavian word for a state of confusion. “

矩形迷宫”一词据信来自斯堪的纳维亚语，意为混乱状态。

This is where the word 'amazing' comes from.

这就是“惊人”（amazing）这个词的来源。

Labyrinths, on the other hand, have a very different function.

另一方面，螺旋形迷宫有着截然不同的功能。

Although people now often refer to things they find complicated as labyrinths, this is not how they were seen in the past.

尽管人们现在经常把发现的复杂事物称为螺旋迷宫，但在过去人们对它的看法却截然不同。

The winding spiral of the labyrinth has been used for centuries as a metaphor for life's journey.

几个世纪以来，人们用迷宫蜿蜒的螺旋暗喻生命旅程。

It served as a spiritual reminder that there is purpose and meaning to our lives and helped to give people a sense of direction.

它作为一种精神提醒，告知人们生活是有目的和意义的，并帮助人们找寻人生方向。

Labyrinths are thought to encourage a feeling of calm and have been used as a meditation and prayer tool in many cultures over many centuries.

人们认为螺旋形迷宫能够促使人获得平静。几个世纪以来许多文化将其当作冥想和祈祷的辅助工具。

The earliest examples of the labyrinth spiral pattern have been found carved into stone, from Sardinia to Scandinavia, from Arizona to India to Africa.

最早的螺旋形迷宫的图案被刻在石头上，从撒丁岛到斯堪的纳维亚半岛，从亚利桑那州到印度，再到非洲都有发现它的痕迹。

In Europe, these spiral carvings date from the late Bronze Age.

在欧洲，这些螺旋的雕刻可以追溯到青铜时代晚期。

The Native American Pima tribe wove baskets with a circular labyrinth design that depicted their own cosmology.

美洲原住民皮马部落在编织篮子时加入一圈一圈的螺旋图案来描绘他们自己的宇宙观。

In Ancient Greece, the labyrinth spiral was used on coins around four thousand years ago.

大约四千年前，古希腊将迷宫的螺旋图案铸在钱币上。

Labyrinths made of mosaics were commonly found in bathhouses, villas and tombs throughout the Roman Empire.

在整个罗马帝国，由马赛克制成的迷宫在浴室、别墅和坟墓中随处可见。

In Northern Europe, there were actual physical labyrinths designed for walking on.

在北欧，有专门为行走设计的真正的螺旋形迷宫。

These were cut into the turf or grass, usually in a circular pattern.

这些通常是圆形的草坪迷宫。

The origin of these walking labyrinths remains unclear, but they were probably used for fertility rites which may date back thousands of years.

这些可供行走的螺旋形迷宫的起源尚不清楚，但它们可能与数千年前的生育仪式有关。

Eleven examples of turf labyrinths survive today, including the largest one at Saffron Walden, England, which used to have a large tree in the middle of it.

有11个螺旋形草坪迷宫被保留至今，其中最大的一个位于英国的萨弗伦沃尔登，迷宫的中间曾经有一棵大树。

More recently labyrinths have experienced something of a revival.

最近，更多的螺旋形迷宫再次流行起来。

Some believe that walking a labyrinth promotes healing and mindfulness, and there are those who believe in its emotional and physical benefits, which include slower breathing and a restored sense of balance and perspective.

有人认为，走迷宫能促进心灵治愈和提升正念。也有人相信它对情绪和身体都有好处，包括帮助减缓呼吸，恢复平衡感和洞察力。

This idea has become so popular that labyrinths have been laid into the floors of spas, wellness centres and even prisons in recent years.

这种想法非常流行，所以近年来水疗中心、健康中心甚至监狱都铺设了螺旋形迷宫。

A pamphlet at Colorado Children's Hospital informs patients that 'walking a labyrinth can often calm people in the midst of a crisis'.

科罗拉多儿童医院的一本小册子告诉患者，“走迷宫通常可以让处于危机中的人平静下来”。

And apparently, it's not only patients who benefit.

显然，受益的不仅仅是患者。

Many visitors find walking a labyrinth less stressful than sitting in a corridor or waiting room.

许多探病的人发现，走迷宫比坐在走廊或等候室里更使人轻松。

Some doctors even walk the labyrinth during their breaks.

甚至一些医生会在休息时间去走迷宫。

In some hospitals, patients who can't walk can have a paper 'finger labyrinth' brought to their bed.

一些医院会让行动不便的患者在床上放置一个纸质的“手指迷宫”。

The science behind the theory is a little sketchy, but there are dozens of small-scale studies which support claims about the benefits of labyrinths.

这个理论背后的科学研究还不完善，但有几十个小规模的研究支持迷宫确有好处的说法。

For example, one study found that walking a labyrinth provided 'short-term calming, relaxation, and relief from anxiety' for Alzheimer's patients.

例如，一项研究发现走螺旋形迷宫使阿尔茨海默病患者获得了“短期的平静、放松和焦虑缓解”。

So, what is it about labyrinths that makes their appeal so universal? Well …

那么，大家是被螺旋形迷宫的什么吸引了呢？嗯……