Artist: Jane Sunderland
Location: South Eeast corner of Wensum Park
First displayed in the Cathedral Close to celebrate Millennium.
You can find another Labyrinth at the backyard of The Norwich Cathedral.
Att: N 52 37.894 E 001 18.055
(More information further down. BUT first the earth lesson.)
The Rock – GRANITE
Igneous Rock Type: Intrusive
Related to: Rhyolite, pegmatite, svenite
Chemistry: Acidic
Color: White, pink, orange, gray, black
Texture: Phaneritic (easy to see crystals)
Origins: Orogenic Plutons
Common Minerals: Quartz, feldspars, hornblende and micas
Accessory Minerals: Tourmaline, phosphates, rare earth oxides, beryl, topaz, zircons, augite, sphene and apatite
Uses: Building material, decorative counter tops, tiles, tombstones, roads, jewelry, curling stones, marbles
Granite is possibly the most common igneous rock type known to the general public. Granite, which is named for its "granular" or phaneritic texture, has crystals that tend to be easily seen, although they are generally small. It is a rock that has been used for centuries for many different purposes such as building material. Granite was used with limestone as a building material for the pyramids of Egypt. Its durability, beauty and abundance make it a preferred choice of stone over most others. Granite is also a source of many mineral specimens. Unfortunately, most of the crystals in a granite form anhedral crystals or crystals that lack their outward crystal shape. This is due to the way that the crystals grow into each other to form interlocking crystal frameworks. Although this gives granite its great durability, it limits its desirability as a source of mineral specimens. Occasionally there are pockets within a granite where crystals can form very nice specimens.
The crystals of granite form while the molten material inside the Earth's crust cools relatively slowly . Molten rock or magma that would have formed granite had it stayed in the Earth's crust, but instead managed to erupt onto the surface of the Earth, forms a rock called rhyolite. The two rock types have the same chemistry. Rhyolite however does not generally have the same texture and crystals are generally too small to see. If granite type rock has crystals that grow larger than a large pebble (roughly 3 cm or about 1 inch across) then it is called a pegmatite.
The minerals that are found in granite are primarily quartz, plagioclase feldspars, potassium or K-feldspars, hornblende and micas. Quartz is usually the last mineral to crystallize and fills in the extra space between the other minerals. Quartz's hardness, lack of chemical reactivity and near lack of cleavage give granite a significant amount of its desirable durable properties. The quartz will appear gray, but is actually colorless and is reflecting and fusing the colors of the white and black minerals surrounding it. The plagioclase feldspars are generally white with a porcelaneous luster. The K-feldspars are generally the ones that give granite its color variations from yellow to orange to pink or blue. Dark K-feldspars can give granite its black varieties as well. The micas are generally muscovite (silver), biotite (black or brown) or lepidolite (violet or pink) and provide the sparkle that some granites possess. The hornblende and biotite provide granite with the black pepper portion of the famous and distinctive "salt and pepper" look to classic granite.
Some accessory minerals include gemstones such as tourmaline, beryl, topaz, zircons and apatite. These minerals are generally scattered in the groundmass and generally do not affect the overall appearance of the stone. Other accessory minerals are important economically such as phosphates and rare earth oxides. Related to the rare earth elements is a significant concentration in granite of the element uranium. Granite is actually rather radioactive and has 5 to 20 times the concentration of uranium compared to other common rock types. Some health concern exists in areas that are rich in granitic terrain, as background radiation is enhanced by the presence of large granite bodies. Although the uranium is generally not concentrated enough to make granite a uranium ore, the leaching and erosion of granite has helped produce most of the uranium ore deposits around the world.
As an igneous rock, granite forms from melted or molten rock called magma. As an intrusive rock, granite forms from molten rock that never reaches the surface of the Earth. Granite forms from the melting of lighter materials than is found in the deep crust or mantle.
Granite is found in all continents around the world and is generally the foundation of many orogenic belts or mountain chains. Most often granite is the underlying rock upon which sedimentary and other continental rocks rest. Granite is found in batholiths or large magma plumes that rose into the continental rocks. But it can be seen in lots of other intrusive features such as dikes, sills and lacoliths.
To log this cache.
To get to log this cache you will have to visit and answer the questions which are related to the coordinates given the earthcache.
When answers are collected, send them to CO for verification.
As I own about 50 earthcaches there are MANY mails/messages to answer back on, and I will not always be able to answer right-back, BUT I READ ALL SENT ANSWERS AND LOGS, so if anything is not correct or need an upgrade, you will indeed hear back from me.
Thanks for your understanding, and for picking one of my caches.
You can log immediately answers are sent CO. If there are any questions about your answers CO will contact you.
Logs without answers to CO or with pending questions from CO will be deleted without any further notice.
Please do not include pictures in your log that may answer the questions.
Questions
1. Answer the questions under by visiting the Coordinates.
A. How do Granite Form? (Answer can be found in text)
B. Have a look at the monument stones and tell me what type of feldspar by color that is found in the stones? Use the name(s) and color(s) shown from the photo added to the cache text above! (Answer can be found at GZ)
C. How many circular stones are there outside the labyrinth? And what theme are they engraved with? (Answer can be found at GZ)
D. Have a look at the stones round the Labyrinth, on what two stones does it say the word: YELLOW? And what color granite are the two stones? Are there more different colored granites stones used outside the labyrinth? (Answer can be found at GZ)
E. Look at several of the rectangular crystals in the stone? Are they different from one stone to another used around at the Labyrinth? Measure their length, average their size and then tell if the rock is coarse, medium, or fine grained, by using the following scale:
- coarse crystals over 5mm in length,
- medium crystals between 1-5 mm in length
- fine crystal less than 1mm in length .
(Answer can be found at GZ)
2. Take a photo of yourself, the group or your GPS when logging the cache.
Without revealing any answers!
...
Zodiacal Labyrinth
at Wensum Park
What is a labyrinth?
A Labyrinth is not a maze. There is only one entrance, one path and no choices, tricks or dead ends. A maze is designed to make you lose your way; it is a game. A Labyrinth serves the opposite purpose; it is designed to help you find your way. By encouraging you to walk without having to think about where to go next, it can enable you to be still, to let your mind escape the bustle of everyday life and reflect.
The Zodiacal labyrinth is set into grass and surrounded by a circular footpath with the twelve markers on its outside. It is just below the Sandys-Winsch pavilion of 1925 and on the site of Sandys Winsch's circular fountain. It is set in a bed whose summer planting echoes the colours of the star signs. Originally displayed in the Cathedral close to celebrate the Millennium it was moved as part of the restoration of the Norwich Parks. There is another simpler labyrinth in the centre of the cloister buildings. The tops of the markers set around the labyrinth, beginning to the East and reading clockwise are engraved with relevant interpretation.
Adjacent to the River Wensum, the design of the park focuses on the natural assets of the riverside location and is popular with local residents as well as those from afar. Artist Jane Sunderland was involved in designing the labyrinth which occupies the central focal point of the park. Designed originally as the Norwich labyrinth for the Millennium celebrations, it was transferred to its permanent home at Wensum in the spring. A successful workshop day culminated in the participants assisting Jane to mark out the labyrinth, which was then completed using setts and turf. To link in with the labyrinth the twelve planting beds encircling the centre have been planted with herbaceous plants associated with the signs of the zodiac. The outer shrub beds of the central area have been replanted with a repeat rhythm of native shrubs, and herbaceous plants. A phased replanting of the ornamental flowering cherries which had become over mature has also been initiated.
