Stone spirals on a tiny island accessible only by boat. Built 3,000 years ago, they may have been ritual paths walked to honor the dead or symbolic maps of the cosmos. The patterns match other Atlantic labyrinths.
Vitold Muratov, CC BY-SA 3.0
An Arctic concentration of stone spirals
Bolshoi Zayatsky Island, a small landmass of only 1.25 square kilometers in the White Sea, holds one of the highest concentrations of prehistoric labyrinths in the world. Part of the Solovetsky Archipelago, the island features a group of 13 to 14 stone labyrinths concentrated in an area of just 0.4 square kilometers on its western side. These structures are known locally as "vavilons," or "Babylons."
The labyrinths are constructed from local boulders, typically 30-40 cm in diameter, laid out in single rows to form unicursal (single-path) spirals. They vary in size, with the smallest measuring about 6 meters in diameter and the largest reaching 25.4 meters across. Some feature a simple spiral, while others are more complex, with two spirals set one inside the other, described as resembling "two serpents with their heads in the middle looking at each other." Each labyrinth has only one entrance, which also is the exit, a feature common to this type of structure.
Beyond the famous spirals, the island contains a dense collection of other stone constructions. Archaeologists have documented more than 850 heaps of boulders, numerous stone cairns, and other settings, including a stone symbol with radial spokes that may represent the sun. This entire collection of Neolithic structures dates back to approximately 3,000 BCE.
Rituals, traps, or calendars
The purpose of the Bolshoi Zayatsky labyrinths remains uncertain, though several hypotheses exist. The most widely accepted theory suggests a ritual or spiritual function. The single-path design could have guided participants in a ceremonial procession, symbolizing a path between the world of the living and the underworld. This idea is supported by the discovery of bone fragments within some of the associated stone heaps. The structures may have been part of a larger sacred complex, used in funeral rites to help souls of the dead transition to the next world.
Another hypothesis connects the labyrinths to fishing. All the structures are located near the coast. Researchers have proposed they could have been models for complex fishing weirs or even actual traps. Thousands of years ago, sea levels were higher, and the designs might have been effective for trapping fish as the tide went out.
A third theory proposes an astronomical or calendrical function. The complex lines of the labyrinths could be a schematic representation of the sun's and moon's orbits, serving as a tool for tracking time and seasons. The age of the labyrinths is still debated among researchers. While many are dated to the 1st or 2nd millennium BCE, some evidence, such as the large size and heavy patination of the biggest examples, might indicate an even earlier origin.
💡Fun Facts
The entire Solovetsky Archipelago contains around 35 known ancient labyrinths.
The largest labyrinth on Bolshoi Zayatsky Island measures 25.4 meters (83 feet) in diameter.
In addition to the labyrinths, the island has over 850 artificial stone mounds or heaps.
The local name for the labyrinths, "vavilons," is a dialect word for "Babylons."
Access to the island is restricted and typically available only through guided tours during the summer months, from June to August, when the sea is free of ice.
Admission
Access is by boat tour, which must be booked in advance. Independent travel to the island is prohibited.
Accessibility
The terrain is uneven, rocky, and covered in tundra vegetation. Visitors must walk along designated paths and boardwalks. The site is not wheelchair accessible.
The Bolshoi Zayatsky LabyrinthsArkhangelsk Oblast, Russia
