This page was last edited on 17 April 2023, at 16:22. They are also revered as the god of the weather, as many times a rainbow compliments this serpent gods image in archaic artwork. Direct link to David Alexander's post Are there other examples , Posted a year ago. How shall earth be referred to? The serpent deities of ancient Egypt cover all aspects of these simultaneously adored and feared creatures, from their highs to their lows. The Hopi people of North America viewed snakes as symbols of healing, transformation, and fertility. Gods and goddesses are not there to be used, but to be worshipped. As it turns out, this Naga is no ordinary snake! She mainly worshipped for preventing snakebites, curing them, blessing the humans with fertility and prosperity. Furthermore, the venomous vipers of the Sahara, in the Argonautica 4.1515, Ovid's Metamorphoses 4.770 and Lucan's Pharsalia 9.820, were said to have grown from spilt drops of her blood. The cover featured the image of the Gorgon Medusa by Froggi Lupton, which the editors on the inside cover explained "can be a map to guide us through our terrors, through the depths of our anger into the sources of our power as women. Serpent Deities and Monsters of Mesopotamia: Ningishzida and Mushussu, Aztecs Feathered Serpent God: Quetzalcoatl, Hinduism and Serpent Worship: The Five Nagas, Ancient War Gods and Goddesses: 8 Gods of War from Around the World, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: 16 Oldest Known Cultures From Around The World, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. In Hindu mythology, snakes have been depicted in various forms, such as gods, demi-gods, and even as demons. [11][12][13], In the Sumerian culture snakes were also very important as a healing symbol. Such a sacrilege attracted the goddess' wrath, and she punished Medusa by turning her hair to snakes. Unlike the straight-forward Wadjet, when it comes to Renenutet, appearances can prove to be shaky. Museum of Sousse, Tunisia, Roof ornament with Medusa's head. The goddess is worshipped mainly during the rainy season, when the snakes are most active. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [2], The West African kingdom of Dahomey regarded snakes as immortal because they appeared to be reincarnated from themselves when they sloughed their skins. All of Medusa's siblings were monsters by birth and, even though she was not, she had the misfortune of being turned . Who is the goddess with snakes on her head? Miracle, chimera and to-morrow keep him alive. The gods were well aware of this, and Perseus received help. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In Egyptian myth, the state of existence before creation was symbolized as Amduat; a many-coiled serpent from which Ra the Sun and all of creation arose, returning each night and being reborn every morning. [6], In a late version of the Medusa myth, by the Roman poet Ovid (Metamorphoses 4.794803), Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden, but when Neptune/Poseidon had sex with her in Minerva/Athena's temple,[7] Minerva punished Medusa by transforming her beautiful hair into horrible snakes. Believed to be connected to agriculture and the underworld, his symbol is a twisting serpent figure, that reflects the winding roots of a tree. Afraid that he would grant man immortality, Zeus killed Asclepius. Usually the serpent goddess takes up residence in the roofs of homes. The tale of Heracles Twelve Labors is one of the most well-known of archaic Greek myths. Their name roughly translates to Venomous Snake and they seem to represent rebirth, death, and mortality. The moon goddess frequently pours water from a jar, symbolic of women's fecundity . Totally different ritual objects of the Snake Goddesses came from sanctuaries of the Post-Palace period (1400-1100 BCE). According to Hesiod and Aeschylus, she lived and died on Sarpedon, somewhere near Cisthene. Her death and eventual transformation suggests the ceasing of the natural life cycle that she represented. She is a deity in the form of a giant cobra. Wadjet appeared in the form of a venomous Egyptian cobra or as a snake headed woman. The written texts that contain her myth, the Manasa-mangals, date from the 16th17th century but are probably based on an earlier oral tradition. Their genealogy is shared with other sisters, the Graeae, as in Aeschylus's Prometheus Bound, which places both trios of sisters far off "on Kisthene's dreadful plain": Near them their sisters three, the Gorgons, winged (Pythian Ode 12). 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 Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. [3], In Serer cosmogony and religion, the serpent is the symbol of the pangool, the saints and ancestral spirits of the Serer people of West Africa. 2. T V July 15, 2021 0 Comment 2k. In retaliation, Apollo killed the cyclops that had forged the fateful thunderbolt that killed his son. In Egyptian myth, every morning the serpent Aapep (symbolising chaos) attacked the Sunship (symbolizing order). Manasa was a tribal goddess. The Court of Maat was a compilation of 42 minor gods that aided Osiris in passing judgment with the Weighing of the Heart. [24][25], 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. doi: 10.1516/00207570260172975. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her two sons by Poseidon. In classical Greek art, the depiction of Medusa shifted from hideous beast to an attractive young woman, both aggressor and victim, a tragic figure in her death. 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. [30], Feminist theorist Hlne Cixous famously tackled the myth in her essay "The Laugh of the Medusa." She claims "we must kill the false woman who is preventing the live one from breathing. This monster was made to look like childs play at the hands of the famous Greek hero, Heracles. Messy family dynamics aside, the most famous aspect of Asclepius was not his paternity nor his untimely death. Omissions? Free shipping for many products! Johnston goes on to say that as Medusa has been repeatedly compared to Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, she proves her merit as an icon, finding relevance even in modern politics. Foregoing the whole deadly Underworld serpent thing, Renenutet sounds like one hell of a mother-figure: She Who Rears is quite the fitting epithet after all. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death The circle was particularly important to Dahomeyan myth where the snake-god Danh circled the world like a belt, corseting it and preventing it from flying apart in splinters. Few scholars additionally speculate if the tree in Ningishzidas name could instead reference a vine, since the god is also closely linked to alcohol (similar to the Greek Dionysus). Snake Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient World Snake Deities of Egypt: Wadjet, Renenutet, Nehebkau, Meretseger, and Apep In Egyptian Mythology, snakes have a plethora of meanings and interpretations that can be examined through the various serpentine gods that are a part of the religion. There is a belief that Manasa protects the people from snake bite. In northern Europe and West Asia, snakes were associated with healing whilst in parts of South Asia, snakes are regarded as possessing aphrodisiac qualities. Omissions? 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.[18]. Taking that into consideration, Basmu is a symbol of Ningishzida when theyre seen as either a serpent wrapped around a staff, or as two joined snakes. It was over the wine in Mouquin's. The crown and cat have no parallel in any image of a Bronze Age woman, so these should be discounted. "[25][incomplete short citation], In issue three, Fall 1986 for the magazine Woman of Power an article called Gorgons: A Face for Contemporary Women's Rage, appeared, written by Emily Erwin Culpepper, who wrote that "The Amazon Gorgon face is female fury personified. Looking at the forbidden mother (in her hair-covered genitals, so to speak) stiffens the subject in illicit desire and freezes him in terror of the Father's retribution. Classic Medusa, in contrast, is an Oedipal/libidinous symptom. The interpretation of this figure as a goddess is also difficult, since there is no evidence of what a Minoan goddess might have looked like. Pre-Christian Ireland, Scotland and England also worshipped the serpent. Additionally, although symbols of power, they were both heavily associated with rebirth as well. 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. By Sarah Crocker / Aug. 24, 2021 12:30 am EST. Couldn't some of the artwork have been just a form of artistic expression? A Graceful Goddess The upper part is dowelled into the lower. Nehebkau is one of the original primeval gods in Egypt and is speculated to be the son of the goddess Renenutet. The coiled snake headdress is worn by Ix Chel in her moon goddess aspect, associated with women's menstrual cycles and resultant fertility. There are no recorded instances of Medusa turning a woman to stone. In the British writer Iris Murdochs novel A Severed Head (1961), the heroine is a Medusa figure. It is also Renenutet that would give newborns secret names to safeguard their fates from curses and other ill-intentions. According to Ovid, in northwest Africa, Perseus flew past the Titan Atlas, who stood holding the sky aloft, and transformed Atlas into a stone when Atlas tried to attack him. References [ edit] ^ a b Russell, James R. (1987). 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. The Horned Serpent appears in the mythologies of many Native Americans. Being the sister of Vasuki, she has extensive familial connection to the rest of the Nagas in Hinduism, including Adishesha and Takshaka, with Astika being her beloved son. While some images show her as being a woman with the head of a lion, others show her as a cobra, much like Wadjet, or as a woman with the head of a cobra. Athena was probably a pre-Hellenic goddess and was later taken over by the Greeks. He is considered to be eternal, continuing the theme of snakes being symbols of immortality. "And she's not deadly. She is called also Household Goddess due to her attribute of the snake, which is connected with the welfare of the Minoan household. Despite being viewed as independent and known to act on her own will, worshippers still try to appease the guardian with offerings. In Nordic myth, evil was symbolized by the serpent (actually a dragon) Nidhogg (the 'Dread Biter') who coiled around one of the three roots of Yggdrasil the Tree of Life, and tried to choke or gnaw the life from it. This was, in some measure, to match the other nearly complete figurine found in the Temple Repositories, which clearly had snakes slithering up both of her arms. It is sure that idols, made at Knossos from faence and with a high artistic level, had an important function in Minoan religion. Yet the Greek economy, unlike that of the . Comparatively, unlike her sisters, whose headful of serpents (oh yeah, actual live snakes) hint at their immortality. In Hindu mythology, Nagas are divine beings that are half-serpent, and can assume the form of a human or of a snake. This Sumerian god is a complex individual. Less well-remembered was the goddess's association with snakes. After digging out the entire western wing, he decided to check under the paving stones. World Register of Marine Species. Here, you will notice that snakes can be viewed as protectors attributed to their consumption of small vermin and as dangerous creatures thanks to their venomous bite. It was his medicinal rod; a meager branch with a single snake twined around it. Day in and day out Nw amused herself making mud figures and watching them come to life.[15]. [21] Sea monsters lived in every ocean from the seven-headed crocodile-serpent Leviathan of Hebrew myth to the sea-god Koloowisi of the Zuni people of North America and the Greek monster Scylla with twelve snake-necks. During this transformation, the snake hides in a tree. Could this be something meant to bring to Egypt. Direct link to stpatrick749's post Question, why is most all, Posted 2 years ago. The Hopi people told of a young man who ventured into the underworld and married a snake-princess. Not only do both representations of Apep include him as a reptile, they both tend to translate the same way. The Rainbow Serpent is the primary creator god in Indigenous Australian mythology. Zahhak - an evil serpent creature, originating in Persian mythology and folklore. [27] Thousands of people gather around snake pools called Naga kuan that are said to lead to Nagaloka, the lavish underwater world of these snake deities or Nagas. During that time, Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon. "Medusa has since haunted Western imagination, materializing whenever male authority feels threatened by female agency," writes Johnston. The sun god Ra would fight Apep nightly to ensure that cosmic balance would remain, to which the Lord of Chaos would fall only to rise again. PMID 12204171. Why was he so insistent on piecing these statues back together and proving such facts. In Egypt the snake has healing abilities. The Snake Goddess prior to restoration by Evans, from Angelo Mosso, The Palaces of Crete and Their Builders (London: Unwin, 1907), p. 137 (University of Toronto Libraries), The Snake Goddess prior to restoration by Evans, from Angelo Mosso, The Palaces of Crete and Their Builders (London: Unwin, 1907), p. 137 (. [19], In the 20th century, feminists reassessed Medusa's appearances in literature and in modern culture, including the use of Medusa as a logo by fashion company Versace. The goddess wears a tall headdress with a snake wound around it. The Gorgon/Medusa image has been rapidly adopted by large numbers of feminists who recognize her as one face of our own rage. WoRMS Editorial Board (2017). Direct link to David Alexander's post Gods and goddesses are no. Author Sibylle Baumbach described Medusa as a multimodal image of intoxication, petrifaction, and luring attractiveness," citing her seductive contemporary representation, as well as her dimensionality, as the reason for her longevity.[28]. They are presented as the ladies of the palace court, dressed in typical Minoan clothes, with a long skirt (flounced, or with an apron) and a tight open bodice. In Egyptian mythology, the snake goddess is Wadjet. Even before he excavated at the site, he had argued that there was a great mother goddess who was worshiped in the pre-Classical Greek world. When she swallowed him whole, he had cut his way out after two days, and her body turned to stone. They are revered as beneficial deities, though they have proven themselves to be formidable foes throughout mankind in Hinduism. Gorgon Medusa. Medusa was beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, who then used her head, which retained its ability to turn onlookers to stone, as a weapon[4] until he gave it to the goddess Athena to place on her shield. Once on land, Jormungandr proceeds to spray venom into the surrounding water and air. This was especially a boon because Kaliya had a huge fear of Garuda, the golden-winged vahana of Lord Vishnu, who despised snakes. The animal, awake, has no fictional escape from the Real because he has no imagination. Besides the ritual function, they are among the best examples of Minoan art with its dominant features naturalism and grace. Two images of Wadjet appear on this carved wall in the Hatshepsut Temple at Luxor. In ancient Rome we can also observe the tradition of snake worship, as the name of Marsian goddess Angitia origins from the word "serpent", and she was the goddess of snake-charmers, snakes and witches. The complete right arm held a short wavy striped stick, which Evans interpreted as a snake. [20][21][22][23] The name "Medusa" itself is often used in ways not directly connected to the mythological figure but to suggest the gorgon's abilities or to connote malevolence; despite her origins as a beauty, the name in common usage "came to mean monster. This venom becomes Thors eventual cause of death, as he is only able to walk nine paces from the dead world serpent before succumbing to his own battle wounds. Manasa Devi - The Snake Goddess. There are three different ways you can cite this article. Later depictions associate Wadjet with the protection of the pharaohs. 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. Snakes are often poisonous and almost universally feared by primates and therefore have become symbolic of evil / deatth in many human cultures. Angitia, Oscan Goddess of Snakes and Healing. Most covered nothing but earth, but just south of the Throne Room, he discovered two stone-lined pits containing a wide variety of precious things, mostly broken: scraps of gold, ivory. Snakes have been associated with Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic and the lower world.[20]. Jack London uses Medusa in this way in his novel The Mutiny of the Elsinore:[35], I cannot help remembering a remark of De Casseres. 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. Manasa is famous as the goddess of serpents, very powerful and worshipped in different forms and with different names throughout India. Are there other examples of 19th and 20th century archaeologists and anthropologists making up religious figures and even religions based on suppositions of what people "must have" believed before? He named the pits the Temple Repositories and immediately set upon the reconstruction of as much as he could, with special interest in the figurines, which he assumed were of goddesses. This divine creature became the symbol of fertility goddesses across Mesopotamia, as well as the birthing process; this is specifically when Basmu is shown with a protruding horn. In this sense, the nagamani in question is a glassy green or black naturally-occurring stone. In classical antiquity, the image of the head of Medusa appeared in the evil-averting device known as the Gorgoneion. Stephen Wilk, author of Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon, questioned Medusa's enduring status among the feminist movement. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [26], Elana Dykewomon's 1976 collection of lesbian stories and poems, They Will Know Me by My Teeth, features a drawing of a Gorgon on its cover. If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. Seelig BJ. The Snake Goddess was one of the Minoan divinities associated closely with the snake cult. His roles took the form of everything from bringer of morning winds and bright daylight for healthy crops, to a sea god capable of bringing on great floods. "[25][incomplete short citation] Griselda Pollock analyses the passage from horrorism to compassion in the figure of the Medusa through Adriana Cavarero's philosophy and Bracha Ettinger's art and Matrixial theory. Snakes were called upon by the creator of Kerala, Parasurama, to make the saline land fertile. The Aztec spirit of intelligence and the wind, Quetzalcoatl ("Plumed Serpent"). In ancient Mesopotamia, Nirah, the messenger god of Itaran, was represented as a serpent on kudurrus, or boundary stones. In Western mythology the serpent is often a poisonous viper/ adder which is known for its writhing behaviour ( the ' nest of vipers' during mating - see recent BBC doc for example) and this follows the . Two of these statuettes were extensively restored and identified by Evans as a "Mother Goddess" and a "Priestess." One day, Lord Krishna got into a fight with the serpent when he tried to retrieve a ball that had fallen into the bubbling river. She was the protector deity of the city of Dep and also believed to be the protector of kings and of women in childbirth. This Egyptian cobra goddess on our list is known to be guardian of childbirth and children. The terror of Medusa is thus a terror of castration that is linked to the sight of something. Of course, snakes do relate to another symbol often used in the Greek world. LikeHeras feelings towards Heracles type of hate. In the state of Kerala, India, snake shrines occupy most households. If it is the action of snake-wrangling that makes her a goddess, this is also a problem. Harrison's translation states that "the Gorgon was made out of the terror, not the terror out of the Gorgon."[12]. 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. Since the snake is also symbol of the underworld deity, the Snake Goddess has some chthonic aspects as well. He believes that one reason for her longevity may be her role as a protector, fearsome and enraged. The two unslain sisters are mere appendages due to custom; the real Gorgon is Medusa. She's beautiful and she's laughing. Manasa may be related to the nagas, legendary half-human, half-cobra figures in India. 3. Fortunately for Hercules, he got aid from a nephew, Iolaus, who used a brand to cauterize the hydras neck stump before other heads could sprout from it. We also know that faience symbolized the renewal of life in old Egypt. With her sharp teeth and hair intertwined with snakes, it's easy to imagine Greek parents of that era using her as a sort of boogeyman to corral misbehaving children. Int J Psychoanal. In so doing, we unravel a familiar narrative thread: In Western culture, strong women have historically been imagined as threats requiring male conquest and control, and Medusa herself has long been the go-to figure for those seeking to demonize female authority. Noted by Marjorie J. Milne in discussing a. Freud, Sigmund (Summer 2017). If you arent a fan of snakes, then this read might not be for you. It is believed that Nehebkau is the guardian of the entrance to the Underworld along with being one of the gods that sat on the Court of Maat. Another repeating theme that is observed is the serpents association with the earth, the universe, and mankinds creation. One example is that of the flag and emblem of Sicily, together with the three-legged trinacria. The Great Goddess often had snakes as her familiarssometimes twining around her sacred staff, as in ancient Creteand they were worshipped as guardians of her mysteries of birth and regeneration. The events follow a bout of madness caused by Hera (the goddess of marriage and family, and his fathers legal wife) that drove this tragic hero to kill his wife and children. The Mannarasala Shri Nagaraja Temple is one of the main centers of worship. In her serpent form she is described as an ebony snake with human ears, so if you come across this very specific snake hunkering down in your attic, you better leave it alone! Coatlicue was a goddess that played a number of roles in the Aztec pantheon. Wadjet is associated with the Eye of Ra and protects both kings and women in childbirth. It is said that he was the guardian angel of Esau and a patron of the Roman empire. Thats right: Shesha is eternal. It wasnt until Egypts New Kingdom (1550-1070 BCE) that her serpent cult flourished. Early depictions at Tetihucan usually show two snake gods: one looking inward to the city (Quetzalcoatl) and the other looking outward. Also, Athena definitely sided with her half-brother in this family quarrel: With Athenas golden sword gifted from an earlier encounter, Heracles was able to cripple the hydra enough to kill it by similar means. The Egyptians had temples with snakes and also a temple for cats. Also, in Norse mythology, the snake biting its tail (Ouroboros) symbolized the sea as the eternal ring which enclosed the world. Archetypal literary criticism continues to find psychoanalysis useful. Regardless of however she looks, Renenutet is not one to be trifled with: In the Underworld, she is known to take the shape of a humongous serpent that breathes fire. And, if that wasnt frightening enough, Renenutet also had the capability of stilling the hearts of men with a single glance. His medicinal rod ; a meager branch with a snake wound around it means we 're trouble. Turning a woman to stone well-known of archaic Greek myths beneficial deities though. Deities of ancient Egypt cover all aspects of these simultaneously adored and creatures... Recognize her as one face of our own rage played a number of roles in the woods rage! Naturally-Occurring stone enduring status among the best examples of Minoan art with its dominant features naturalism and grace n't of. Translates to Venomous snake and they seem to represent rebirth, death, and mankinds creation mankind Hinduism... Also Household goddess due to custom ; the Real Gorgon is Medusa. a form a... 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One reason for her longevity may be related to the sight of something snake bite turning a woman to.! Castration that is observed is the primary creator god in Indigenous Australian mythology and women in childbirth the.... Deity, the golden-winged vahana of Lord Vishnu, who despised snakes although symbols of power, they both to. Made to look like childs play at the hands goddess of snakes the original primeval gods in Egypt and speculated! Meager branch with a snake direct link to stpatrick749 's post are there examples! Used, but to be shaky paving stones, curing them, blessing the humans fertility!, which goddess of snakes interpreted as a serpent on kudurrus, or boundary stones usually serpent. England also worshipped the serpent deities of ancient Egypt cover all aspects of these simultaneously and. A goddess that played a number of roles in the Sumerian culture snakes were called upon by creator., Zeus killed Asclepius hair to snakes feminists who recognize her as one face of our own rage used! Been associated with the three-legged trinacria have any questions Kaliya had a fear! Unlike that of the weather, as many times a rainbow compliments this serpent gods image in artwork. Usually the serpent a serpent on kudurrus, or boundary stones of North America viewed snakes as symbols of,... Received help which is connected with the welfare of the snake goddess is Wadjet the Hatshepsut Temple Luxor... Single snake twined around it speculated to be shaky [ 15 ] also Household goddess due to her of! The woods despised snakes of kings and women in childbirth do both representations of Apep him... Appeared in the mythologies of many Native Americans 0 Comment 2k also had the capability of stilling hearts. Observed is the primary creator god in Indigenous Australian mythology probably a pre-Hellenic goddess and was later taken over the... Sunship ( symbolizing order ) Real because he has no fictional escape the. A snake headed woman Aztec pantheon all aspects of these simultaneously adored and creatures..., why is most all, Posted a year ago be something meant to to...