![]() Realism is a good option for your snake tattoo if you want to lean into the snake’s fearsome, powerful nature. Specifically, the Japanese snake tattoo is called hebi and carries the meaning of protection. ![]() Irezumi is known for elegant lines, eye-popping colors, and ancient tradition. Snake in a Japanese StyleĪnother classic choice for a snake tattoo is the Japanese style, also called irezumi. One great style for snake tattoos is the American traditional or old school tattooing style, as the snake is a classic traditional tattoo motif and looks great rendered in bold lines, both in black and white and in color. Snakes in American Traditional/Old School In the Chinese zodiac, the snake carries associations of grace, wisdom, organization, wit, mystery, and divination. As such, there is justification for the popularity both of snake tattoos for men and snake tattoos for women.įinally, there is the place of the snake in Chinese astrology, in which it is linked to the birth years 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013. In some Native American and African cultures, the rattlesnake was revered as sacred for its connection to rain and lightning, while in various other cultures, the snake has also been viewed as a symbol of fertility and creative life force, potentially because of its phallic shape. As the story goes, it was the snake that convinced Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit, leading to the origin of sin and the ousting of mankind from the Garden of Eden. Of course, there is also the association of the biblical story of Adam and Eve, which sees the serpent as a symbol of temptation, sin, and evil. Often worn by Pharaohs as a head ornament, the uraeus came to be associated with power and the protective goddess Wadjet. Another ancient Egyptian symbol involving the snake is the uraeus or a reared cobra. The ancient Egyptian ouroboros symbol of a snake biting its own tail is thought to represent renewal, reincarnation, and the continuous cycle of life and death, as well as even the circle of life, the cycles of the universe, and the changing seasons. The caduceus, or the staff of Hermes, a traditional symbol of two snakes winding around a staff, is often used as a symbol of medicine, especially in the United States. Indeed, some snakes such as the cobra or rattlesnake can cause harm to humans, leading people to associate snakes with danger, risk, power, and strength.Īnother part of the snake’s mythical appeal is its ability to shed its skin, which has often been associated with rebirth, change, transformation, new beginnings, and even healing and immortality. First, there is the fact that many humans experience a fear of snakes, also called ophidiophobia. There are several qualities in snakes that have allowed them to hold a place of such fascination in the human cultural consciousness for so long. Often portrayed as a symbol of evil, the snake has also been depicted as having good and virtuous associations, too. As French admiral Jean-Francois Bertet de la Clue Sabran wrote in his journal, they had “their skins covered with figures of snakes which they with the point of a needle.”ĭe la Clue Sabran also mentioned that Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, a French colonial administrator in New France and an early governor of French Louisiana, also “ all of his body covered in this way.” This account was corroborated by Italian-born soldier and explorer Henri “Iron Hand” de Tonti, who said de Bienville, “had a snake which passed around his body and whose tongue pointed toward an extremity which I will leave you to guess.”Īs we’ve alluded to already, in fields as varied as religion, mythology, lore, and culture, the snake has traditionally held a place of power and significant meaning, both positive and negative. ![]() Other early bearers of the snake tattoo include southern Native Americans. According to Dwight Longenecker of the Patheos Catholic channel, “The pagan druids featured serpents in their worship and were tattooed with serpents.” Pagan druids, members of the high-ranking Celtic learned class who were active at least as early as the 3rd century BCE and were suppressed during Roman rule around 14–37 CE, are reported to have had large snake tattoos on their arms. However, there are some references in historical documents and myths that suggest that people have been getting snake tattoos at least as early as the dawn of the Common Era. ![]() While anecdotal evidence suggests that snake tattoos have been around for at least as long as most people alive today (who pay attention to tattoos, anyway) can remember, little research has been done on the more distant history of snake tattoos. ![]()
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