Largest ancient Egyptian labyrinth

The largest labyrinth created by the ancient Egyptians was the temple precinct built by Amenemhet III at Hawara in 1844–1797 BC. In this complex architectural puzzle, 12 courts were interconnected by walls covered by sculptures, corridors, colonnades and shafts, with crossing alleys and false doors, all protecting Amenemhet’s central burial chamber. The labyrinth probably also acted as a cult centre and meeting place for Egyptian rulers. The fifth-century-BC Greek historian Herodotus described it in detail: “The upper chambers I saw with my own eyes, and found them to excel all other human productions; for the passages through the houses, and the varied windings of the paths across the courts excited in me infinite admiration as I passed from the courts into chambers, and from the chambers into colonnades, and from the colonnades into fresh houses, and again from these into courts unseen before.”

The first-century-BC Greek geographer Strabo called it: "a great palace composed of many palaces”, with “winding passages communicating with one another, so that no stranger can find his way either into any court or out of it without a guide".