Charlotte Higgins discusses some literary labyrinths, including the mysterious, forbidden library in Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose.

And she describes the extraordinary mappa mundi at Hereford Cathedral, a medieval "cloth of the world" (with the island of Crete and its "eleven course labyrinth" - the lair of the Minotaur - particularly prominent). But as Higgins observes, Hereford's mappa mundi is "not just a diagram of space, it is a map of time and destiny..."

Series exploring more of our ancient fascination with mazes and labyrinths, and reflects on their significance - in art and in mythology, in literature and in life.

Written and read by Charlotte Higgins.

Abridged and produced by David Jackson Young.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2018. Show less