Snakes

The most dangerous are the types of snake bites in the pit viper family, and they include those of the water moccasin, the rattlesnake, the bushmaster or the copperhead. The real vipers are the ones to share the most venomous reputation in the Old World, with the cobras and the black mambas being in top. Yet, let’s not forget about the sea snakes that also rely on very powerful venom to hunt, as the toxins they leave in the body of the prey have to paralyze it within seconds. Asian countries have many types of snake dishes in their restaurant menus, but most of the times snakes are hunted for their skin.

The snake is also a symbol, not just an animal people feel afraid of. The representations of snakes in our arts and cultures go back to the ancient mythical times. On the one hand, serpents are part of ecosystems, with a major role in the existence of certain species, and on the other they are symbols of profound meanings. Their feeding on mice and rats keeps pest under control and prevents the over-breeding of these rodents. Yet, in the ancient traditions, types of snake worshiping did exist, with the serpent symbolizing deities, the eternal circle of life and death or wisdom.

All types of snake-related traditions have been identified around the globe: for the ancient Greeks the snake was the symbol of fertility; Mesopotamians and Semites considered this animal immortal because it shed its skin and it rejuvenated its appearance periodically; Indians, Siamese and Burmese considered the snake the embodiment of a demon that also had its good parts. According to the latter cultures the cobra is the king of all serpents, but the Chinese on the other hand raised the snake at the level of the dragon that is revered as a protective and fascinating manifestation of the divinity.

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