THE SYMBOL OF THE SNAKE - OR WHAT AM I SAYING TO THE WORLD BY WEARING SNAKE JEWELRY
The snake, or serpent, is as much an ancient symbol as a modern one. The symbolism surrounding snakes is sometimes quite contradictory - they represent both evil power and rebirth - for their ability to shed their skin. Our modern view of snakes seems to come straight from the Hebrew bible and the Garden of Evil, as well as the New Testament, and its view of the serpent as representing the devil and Satan. The ancient epic tale of Gilgamesh, tells how his power of immortality was stolen by a snake. Ouroboros, the symbol of a serpent eating its own tail, represents the constant renewal of life, while the double snakes of the Caduceus, the origin of which seems to come from the Sumarian god Ningishzida, is represented by a staff with two snakes intertwined around it, and often surmounted by wings - the modern American symbol of the physician and his devoted duty to heal (as a side note, this symbol is incorrectly used for it is the Rod of Asclepius, a single serpent-entwined rod without wings that is the ancient symbol of healthcare).
Symbolism surrounding snakes is numerous, even in modern times and includes the spiritual examples of the Tarot and Kundalini.
I personally love the snake image for its sensuality and vitality and have incorporated snakes in several pieces of jewelry through the years. The examples below are currently available on sumaris.com.
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