Northern labyrinths: potential for interdisciplinary research and a resource for international tourism

¹ Candidate of Geographical Sciences, Associate Professor, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
² Master in Geography, graduate student, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
³ Doctor of Geography, Professor, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
⁴ Doctor of Geography, Professor, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
⁵ PhD in Education, Associate Professor, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

^* Corresponding author: galina_paranina@mail.ru, paranin.roman@yandex.ru, neva8137@mail.ru, lubalar@mail.ru, ritakis@mail.ru

Abstract

The article presents the scientific rationale for the project of creating a geographic database on northern labyrinths ancient stone structures and petroglyphs located on the coasts and islands of Northern Europe. The aim of the project is to conduct interdisciplinary research of labyrinths-gnomons (tools for orientation in space and time according to the Sun) as a source of information about ancient marine communications, development of navigation technologies, as well as coastal changes in the Arctic region and climatic rhythms of our planet. The research algorithm includes standard methods of complex geographical descriptions; solution of the equation based on the main trigonometric function; analysis of stable relationships in the system “object - landscape - geographic space - Earth - Universe”. The relationship of the structure of labyrinths performing instrumental functions with the geographical latitude, as well as with the long-period rhythms of the planet, which are most clearly manifested in the Arctic region, is considered. The influence of navigation technologies on the physical development of geographic space and its modeling at the local (toponyms), regional (territorial systems and communications) and global levels (modern scientific picture of the world and ancient information models preserved in mythopoetic form) is shown. It is concluded that the creation of a regional geographic database on labyrinths will contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage sites, replenishment of the resources of international tourism in the Arctic region, the development of scientific communications uniting scientists from the northern countries.