The Greek god Asclepius, closely associated with healing and medicine, carried a staff that featured a snake wrapped around it (pictured right). We have become rather aimless and wandering. Snakes were called upon by the creator of Kerala, Parasurama, to make the saline land fertile. 1967:617). These are just a few of the stories from around the world, but the real story these days lies in education and the dispelling of snake myths, which Neil Dazet covered in Sunday’s blog. Lost in the telling are Medusa’s tragic origins and the unbelievable fate of her famous head. Snakes were regularly regarded as guardians of the Underworld or messengers between the Upper and Lower worlds because they lived in cracks and holes in the ground. "The snake dance is a prayer to the spirits of the clouds, the thunder and the lightning, that the rain may fall on the growing crops.."[1] In other cultures snakes symbolised the umbilical cord, joining all humans to Mother Earth. In some cultures, eels (which spend their early lives in freshwater before returning to the sea as adults) were regarded as magical creatures. Some groups that utilize the symbol are the American Medical Association, the British Medical Association, the Medical Council of India, and the World Health Organization. The underworld was part of a mythical world tree. "[5] In one story, the god Thor tries to drain the ocean and remove the World Serpent. [2], Some cultures regarded snakes as immortal because they appeared to be reincarnated from themselves when they sloughed their skins. Snakes were often also associated with immortality because they were observed biting their tails to form a circle and when they coiled they formed spirals. The Legend of the White Snake, also known as Madame White Snake, is a Chinese legend.It has since been presented in a number of major Chinese operas, films, and television series.. The Pomo people told of a woman who married a rattlesnake-prince and gave birth to four snake-children who freely moved between the two worlds of their parents. It's a cute … Nagas, "the demon cobra" and naginis were human-headed snakes whose kings and queens who lived in jewel-encrusted underground or underwater paradises an… You couldn't have incorporated the Hindu mythology related to snakes any better than this. Snakes appear in a number of different religions, taking on the roles of good and evil depending on the circumstance. Keep up the great work and thank you for participating in Project Noah’s Snake Week! Prise de Jérusalem par Hérode le Grand.jpg, http://www.adwr.state.az.us/Adjudications/documents/HopiContestedCaseDisclosures/Hopi%20Initial%20Disclosure/HP1535%20-%20HP1549.pdf, http://books.google.com.ar/books?hl=es&lr=&id=R-rIAAAAIAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=snakes+in+european+myths+&ots=JGSQIaqwpi&sig=TpVByn2_UGmmUbEywNe0J5fC6R4&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false, http://www.ajol.info/index.php/actat/article/viewFile/52573/41178, http://dss.ucsd.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/dkjordan/chopera.pl?taleid=Myth224, http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Gorgones.html, http://books.google.com.ar/books?hl=es&lr=&id=xmh3gQjPHkAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA117&dq=indian++god+nagini&ots=2fDnsM0HUN&sig=7tTikMjggAYgtwZGnh3asqH47bI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=demon%20cobra%20&f=false, http://egyptian-gods.org/egyptian-gods-apep/, http://books.google.com.ar/books/p/pub-4297897631756504?id=MvXmQUbH9oIC&pg=PA50&dq=nidhogg&hl=es&cd=2&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=nidhogg&f=false, http://books.google.com.ar/books/p/pub-4297897631756504?id=bGtWLV68TsEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=navajo+creation+myth&cd=1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=navajo%20creation%20myth&f=false, http://books.google.com.ar/books?hl=es&lr=&id=dWF0kHApmNIC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=Jormungand&ots=YIJB0z9d-_&sig=6anJXAPJSVmutUUqSxyrQVyT_Rg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Jormungand&f=false, https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Snakes_in_mythology?oldid=205272. exaggerated version of the already monstrous anacondas living in South America In East Asia snake-dragons watched over good harvests, rain, fertility and the cycle of the seasons, whilst in ancient Greece and India, snakes were considered to be lucky and snake-amulets were used as talismans against evil. They are very powerful symbols in mythology, religion, and folklore, and some of these symbols and metaphors continue to influence peoples’ perceptions of snakes (for good or bad) to this day. The Lernaean Hydra. Perseus, a hero of Greek mythology, set out to slay Medusa after promising to bring her head to Polydectes as a gift for a banquet he was holding. The classical symbol of the Ouroboros depicts a snake in the act of eating its own tail. Abyzou is believed to have been infertile, so these heinous acts were/are most likely out of jealousy. The following snake names come from popular literature, video games, television, movies, and mythology. Whilst the majority of famous snakes are renowned for their deadliness, and are often antagonists, many of these examples, such as ‘Juju’ from ‘The Princess and the Frog’, are loyal sidekicks, so there’s something out there for every kind of pet snake. In Indian myth, Shiva had a cobra coiled on his head and another at rest on his shoulder, ready to strike his enemies. The serpent, or snake, is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols.The word is derived from Latin serpens, a crawling animal or snake.Snakes have been associated with some of the oldest rituals known to mankind and represent dual expression of good and evil.. She made humans one at the time with clay. She’s certainly not someone you’d want to meet up with in a dark alley… unless you were carrying an adamantine sword given to you by Zeus! In North America, the Brule Sioux people told of three brothers transformed into rattlesnakes which permanently helped and guided their human relatives. This Norse brooch of the 600s shows Jormungand, the serpent that encircles the world in Norse mythology. In the Native American Hopi tribe, there is a well known rain ceremony that is held each summer and involves snakes. The most important American snake-god was the Aztec spirit of intelligence and the wind, Quetzalcoatl ("Plumed Serpent"), who was balanced by the evil spirit of sacrifice, the Serpent of Obsidian Knives which was one of the four pillars supporting the sky. In some cultures snakes were fertility symbols, for example the Hopi people of North America performed an annual snake dance to celebrate the union of Snake Youth (a Sky spirit) and Snake Girl (an Underworld spirit) and to renew fertility of Nature. Medusa was a Gorgon, a female monster that possessed a head full of venomous snakes in place of hair. In ancient Slavic paganism a deity by the name of Veles presided over the underworld. Asmodeus Poisonteeth (Redwall) Kaa (The Jungle Book) Nagini (Harry Potter) Plithiver (Legend of the Guardians) Snavely (Pogo Comic) Adder (The Animals of Farthing Woods) Blue Racer (The Blue Racer) Cy Sly (Ovide and the Gang) In northern Europe and West Asia, snakes were associated with healing whilst in parts of South Asia, snakes are regarded as possessing aphrodisiac qualities. goddess came to him in the form of a snake to heal his illness (Bunn Ladon (mythology) Lamia; Legend of the White Snake; Legend of Trentren Vilu and Caicai Vilu; Lindworm; Lotan; Lou Carcolh A multi-headed snake with the power of regeneration and deadly poison, the Hydra was one of the most fearsome monsters in Greek mythology. In Scotland, Highlanders had a tradition of pounding the ground with a stick until the serpent emerged. The species vary from harmless whipsnakes and gopher snakes to venomous rattlesnakes. In some cultures, snakes were fertility symbols. The Ouroboros is a symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail that has featured in many ancient cultures. Sometimes these mythic beasts appear as ordinary snakes. Chinese mythology refers to these and other myths found in the historical geographic area(s) of China.These myths include Chinese and other languages, as transmitted by Han Chinese as well as other ethnic groups (of which fifty-six are … Until recently, some northern European communities held well-dressing ceremonies to appease the snake-spirits which lived in village wells and told legends of saints defeating malevolent lake-snakes e.g. They both had many famous offspring, including : The Sphinx The Lion of Nemea The Cerberus. Snakes are among the most misunderstood creatures on earth, and their stories are intertwined with humans in countless ways. Snake-gods were more often portrayed as hybrids or shape-shifters; for example, North American snake-spirits could change between human and serpentine forms whilst keeping the characteristics of both. The text concerns the actions of the god Ra and his union with Osiris in the underworld. There was a lot more to the Gorgon than just the snakes in her hair! As a punishment, the god sent giant snakes that killed his … She is the sister of Vasuki and wife of sage Jaratkaru. As a person who has always been fascinated by snakes, and their mythological stories, I found this hub beautifully written. Once there are no more snakes, the gatherers drop them all into a pile and the women and girls sprinkle meal upon them. He is depicted in many different ways, but most often the nāga has three coils, which represent the past, present, and future. The Aztec underworld, Mictlan was protected by python-trees, a gigantic alligator and a snake, all of which spirits had to evade by physical ducking and weaving or cunning, before they could start the journey towards immortality. This was especially common when they encountered snakes in the wild, which was thought to have brought them good luck. Center: Medusa, the monster with a head full of living serpents. This symbol is used around the world by many different organizations to promote medicine and health care. Egle (Lithuanian origin) meaning "A maiden who married a grass or a water snake". Snakes were thought to be the bringers of good luck for the Greeks. The Biblical story of the fall of man tells of how Adam and Eve were deceived into disobeying God by a snake (identified as Satan by both Paul and John in II Corinthians and Revelation, respectively). This resulted in the caduceus becoming a symbol of peace in many parts of the world. The caduceus also appeared in Roman mythology and was often carried by Mercury, usually in his left hand. Snakes were regularly regarded as guardians of the Underworld or messengers between the Upper and Lower worlds because they lived in cracks and holes in the ground. The Mannarasala Shri Nagaraja Temple is one of the main centres of worship. According to one source, he was the priest of Apollo and should have been celibate; however, he had married and had two sons. The Gorgons of Greek myth were snake-women (a common hybrid) whose gaze would turn flesh into stone, the most famous of them being Medusa. In Nordic myth, evil was symbolised by the serpent (actually a dragon) Nidhogg (the 'Dread Biter') who coiled around one of the three roots of YggdrasiltheTree of Life, and tried to choke or gnaw the life from it. Usually the wisdom of snakes was regarded as ancient and beneficial towards humans but sometimes it could be directed against humans. In Hinduism, the god Shiva is thought to be the most powerful of all the gods. Four days prior to the final ceremony, snake priests leave their villages and gather snakes from surrounding areas. During the Snake Dance Ceremony, the snake priests reach into the kisi and remove a snake, holding it in their hands and their mouth. He was able to approach Medusa safely by viewing her reflection in a polished shield that was given to him by Athena. The anthropomorphic basis of many myth-systems meant snake-gods were rarely depicted solely as snakes. Rivers and lakes often had snake-gods or snake-guardians including Untekhi the fearsome water-spirit of the Missouri River. Shesha in turn was supported on Kurma and when Kurma moved, Shesha stirred and yawned and the gaping of its jaws caused earthquakes.[4]. He has many different attributes, all of which have special meaning, but the most impressive is the snake around his neck. During the dance, live snakes were handled and at the end of the dance the snakes were released into the fields to guarantee good crops. Welcome to our website for all Mythical creature from Greek mythology with venomous snakes as hair. In the state of Kerala, India, snake shrines occupy most households. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very beautiful. Medusa was Once Beautiful. It has been important in religious and mythological symbolism, but has also been frequently used in alchemical illustrations, where it symbolizes the circular nature of the alchemist’s opus, as shown in an alchemical tract dating from 1476 (below right). The roots of this tree (usually growing in water) were guarded by Volos the serpent god. Snakes were also commonly associated with water especially myths about the primordial ocean being formed of a huge coiled snake as in Ahi/Vritra in early Indian myth and Jormungand in Nordic myth. Sticking with the Greek mythology theme, we move on to one of the most popular snake stories around. the secrets of herself). Those bitten by a venomous snake would be healed upon looking at the statue. After removing her head, Perseus placed it in a special kibisis (knapsack) and presented it to Polydectes, just as he had promised. Aapep would try to engulf the ship and the sky was drenched red at dawn and dusk with its blood as the Sun defeated it.[8]. He is almost always portrayed as a serpent or dragon depending on the particular myth. The circle was particularly important to Dahomeyan myth where the snake-god Danh circled the world like a belt, corsetting it and preventing it from flying apart in splinters. Three in number, the most famous of the Gorgons was of course Medusa, the Gorgon encountered by Perseus. Since you are already here then chances are that you are looking for the Daily Themed Crossword Solutions. In Judeo-Christian writings, the serpent has a famous role in the Garden of Eden. Snakes were regularly regarded as guardians of the Underworld or messengers between the Upper and Lower worlds because they lived in cracks and holes in the ground. https://www.history.com/news/snake-symbol-history-mythology Tiresias gained a dual male-female nature and an insight into the supernatural world when he killed two snakes which were coupling in the woods. She also had the ability to turn a mortal … In ancient Indian myth, the drought-serpent Ahi or Vritra swallowed the primordial ocean and did not release all created beings until Indra split the serpent's stomach with a thunderbolt In another myth, the protector Vishnu slept on the coils of the world-serpent Shesha (or "Ananta the endless";). This ceremony itself lasts for sixteen days and the snake dance occurs on the final day. "Here there is and evil dragon names Nidhogg that gnaws constantly at the root, striving to destroy Yggdrasil" [9]

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