immortal snake

             Snakes immortality                                                                    

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. Both circles and spirals were seen as symbols of eternity. 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. In Egyptian myth, the state of existence before creation was symbolised as Amduat, a many-coiled serpent from which Ra the Sun and all of creation arose, returning each night and being reborn every morning. Also, the snake biting its tail symbolised the sea as the eternal ring which enclosed the world. In Egypt the snake has healing abilities. Hymns and offerings were made to it since it was believed that the Goddess could manifest through the snake. "In a hymn to the goddess Mertseger, a workman on the Necropolis of Thebes relates how the goddess came to him in the form of a snake to heal his illness (Bunn 1967:617)."

In the Sumerian culture snakes were also very important as a healing symbol: " Hammurabi’s Law Code (c. 1700 BC) the god Ninazu is identified as the patron of healing, and his son, Ningishzida, is depicted with a serpent and staff symbol (Bunn 1967:618)"

Snakes and creation myths                                                               

 

 

Snakes were a              common feature of      many             creation myths, for                    example many people in Africa and              Australia had myths   about a       Rainbow   Snake, which was       either Mother         Earth herself giving     birth to all animals or a water-god whose writhings created rivers, creeks and oceans. 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";). Shesha in turn was supported on Kurma and when Kurma moved, Shesha stirred and yawned and the gaping of its jaws caused earthquakes.                                                     

In Chinese mythology, the woman-headed snake Nüwa made the first humans. She made humans one at the time with clay. "Delighted, she made another figure, and another and another, and each came to live in the same way. Day in and day out Nǚwā amused herself making mud figures and watching them come to life." To conserve her energy, she dipped a rope in clay and flicked it so blobs of clay landed everywhere; each blob of clay became an individual human. The first humans of hers became high-class, but second ones became low-class.

Greek cosmological myths tell of how Ophion the snake incubated the primordial egg from which all created things were born.

The classical symbol of the Ouroboros depicts a snake in the act of eating its own tail. This symbol has many interpretations, one of which is the snake representing cyclical nature of life and death, life feeding on itself in the act of creation.

Snake Facts & Myths

                                                                          The snake is a powerful symbol in Indian Mythology and Hinduism. The snake ('Nag' as they are commonly called in Hindi language) is worshipped by people across the country. Some of these mythical snakes are considered to be 'protectors', while others are thought of as 'destroyers'.

The picture of Indian God Lord Shiva is incomplete without the Cobra around his neck (pictured left). Another Indian God, Lord Vishnu, rests on a seven headed snake. There are hundreds of references to snakes with mythical powers in Indian stories. These have made the snake a powerful symbol in Indian Culture.

But there are thousands of beliefs and myths surrounding snakes, widespread in the country, which are misleading. Most of these myths are spread by snake charmers.

During many of the snake rescues, Wildlife S.O.S rescue team members are often showered with questions such as, "do snakes drink milk," or, "is there a two headed snake?"

We would like to take the opportunity to dispel some of those myths now.

 

 

Snake Myths and Facts                                          

 

 Myth: Rat Snakes are poisonous.
Fact: Rat snakes are Non-poisonous, rodent-eating Reptiles.

Myth: Rat Snakes mate with cobras.
Fact: Rat Snakes or any other snakes will not mate with any snake out of its own species. Cobras eat other snakes so a mating between a Cobra and a Rat snake is not possible.
     
Myth: Snakes drink Milk.
Fact: Snakes drink water and do not drink milk, neither can they digest it properly. They are reptiles and have no association with milk, only mammals who have mammary glands can produce milk and thus a liking for milk in non-mammals is unlikely. But in a crises when severely dehydrated, a snake might drink any liquid available.
     
Myth: Some Snakes grow a beard as they get older.
Fact: Snakes are reptiles and do not have any hair on their bodies let alone a beard. It is impossible for them to have beards for their bodies do not have any ability of growing hair.
     
Myth: Snakes carry a diamond in their forehead.
Fact: It is impossible for a Snake to carry anything in its head. The mythological status attached with a Snake in India is probably responsible for this myth.
     
Myth: Snakes remember you if you hurt them.
Fact: Snakes are not vengeful animals and do not have the necessary intelligence to remember people or places for getting revenge. Hindi Movies (Bollywood) have a lot to do with the creation of this myth.
     
Myth: If one Snake is killed its partner will trace you (no matter wherever you are).
Fact: Snakes are not vengeful animals and are not interested in chasing or tracing people who hurt them. They do not have the necessary memory and intellect to remember people to trace them back. Neither do snakes have a feeling of camaraderie nor do snakes pair for life. Once again Bollywood is responsible for this myth.
     
Myth: Flying Snakes can pierce somebody’s forehead or put out their eyes.
Fact: A Flying Snake does not actually fly but only glides through the air by extending its ribs and pulling in the underside. It can glide a distance of 330 feet or 100 metre. It has an elongated head, which gives the scary feeling that it can pierce a person’s head or eyes.
     
Myth: Snakes found in India can spit venom.
Fact: No Snake found in India can spit venom. Only Spitting-Cobras can spit venom and they are not found in India.
     
Myth: There are “Two- headed” snakes.
Fact: The Snake-charmers spread the myth about the Two-headed Snakes only to maintain the mythological status of the snakes in India so they can continue attracting large crowds to their Snake shows. In reality nothing like a Two-headed Snake exists.

 

Snake-gods

 

The anthropomorphic basis of many myth-systems meant snake-gods were rarely depicted solely as snakes. Exceptions to this were the Fijian creator-god Ndengei, the dozen creator-gods of the Solomon Islands (each with different responsibilities), the Aztec Mother Goddess Coatlicue, and the Voodoo snake-spirits Damballa, Simbi and Petro. 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. Likewise, the Korean snake goddess Eobshin was portrayed as a black snake that had human ears.

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 each case, the association with snakes was based on imagery rather than snake-like qualities. The Mayan sky-goddess was a common attribute. However, in her case, the snakes leaned into her ears and whispered the secrets of the universe (i.e. the secrets of herself). In Indian myth, Shiva had a cobra coiled on his head and another at rest on his shoulder, ready to strike his enemies. Egyptian myth has had several snake-gods, from the 'coiled one' Mehen who assisted Ra in fighting Aapep every day to the two-headed Nehebkau who guarded the underworld. In Korean mythology, the goddess Eobshin was the snake goddess of wealth, as snakes ate rats and mice that gnawed on the crops.

more information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_in_mythology                                                 http://www.wildlifesos.org/rescue/reptiles/snake-facts-myths