History of Snakes in Art and Culture
Throughout human history, snakes have always stuck in a big way within the minds of people. So much, that no matter the culture, or geographical location, snakes have found their way into the mythology and symbolism of human culture. Whether they represent evil intentions and sin, like in Christianity, or have a more complex and morally ambiguous connotations like in the Greek and Egyptian cultures. There were even cultures who worshiped and respected them.
https://www.kemetexperience.com/ourboros/
When an entity is feared, that entity often holds a lot of power over those who fear it, and also tends to generate complex emotions regarding it. The role that snakes have played in human culture is a perfect example of this. A culture whose fear of the snake also created reverence and admiration is that of Egypt. Ancient Egyptian mythology depicted snakes as both creatures of chaos, deception, and danger, but also as symbols of protection, fertility, and eternal life. One of the most famous depictions of snakes in art and culture is the Ouroboros in King Tut’s Tomb; a symbol of eternity, showing the snake circling around the image of King Tut to swallow its tail. A depiction of eternal life for the king, and the universe as well. Both showing an ending and continuous growth of a creature.
Another example would be the Gorgons who had different connotations depending on perspectives within Ancient Greek society. The gorgon Medusa turned men who looked at her to stone, and was seen as a villain figure of sorts by many, but at the same time a symbol for safe haven and solidarity for women. This figure continues to be a symbol for feminism today.
https://hyperallergic.com/432102/dangerous-beauty-medusa-in-classical-art-metropolitan-museum/
A civilization which worshiped snakes is that of Mesoamerica whose deity Quetzalcoatl represents a huge part of their culture. The humanoid, feathered serpent of many ancient mesoamerican civilizations was said to bring about good weather and plentiful vegetation, bodies of water, and even one of the gods of creation.
https://www.thoughtco.com/quetzalcoatl-feathered-serpent-god-169342
Finally, there were many cultures in which snakes were a representation of evil, deception, temptation, and dark magic. In the Nordic tradition, the World Serpent was a snake said to bring about the end of the world. His name was Jörmungandr, and was said to encircle the earth by biting his tail (similar to Ouroboros). In Abrahamic religions, snakes were seen in a similar light as the ruler of hell and the underworld.
https://www.worldhistory.org/Jormungandr/
As long as humans have been around there have been snakes. The instinct to fear snakes is ingrained within us. Snakes have been a fundamental part of our history as a species and will continue to also be a huge part of our culture. When animals are so feared, they are often killed off as well. This has happened many time with predators like sharks, mountain lions, wolves, and even alligators at one time. It's important to educate people on snakes and their importance as to avoid their removal from our ecosystems. Snakes serve both important roles as predators and prey within their habitats, without them collapse of that habitat is possible.
Articles used for this blog post:
https://core.ac.uk/reader/215153950
https://www.history.com/news/snake-symbol-history-mythology
https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/q/Quetzalcoatl.htm
1 comment:
Very interesting! The variety of associations is fascinating and may demonstrate the power snakes hold in our collective imaginations.
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