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The Caduceus, symbol of God Ningishzida, on the libation vase of Sumerian ruler Gudea, circa 2100 BCE.. Snake worship is devotion to serpent deities. The tradition is nearly universal in the religions and mythologies of ancient cultures, [1] where snakes were seen as the holders of knowledge, strength, and renewal.
The Aesculapian snake / ˌ ɛ s k j ə ˈ l eɪ p i ə n / (now Zamenis longissimus, previously Elaphe longissima) is a species of nonvenomous snake native to Europe, a member of the Colubrinae subfamily of the family Colubridae.
People who deploy the caduceus as a symbol of medicine are implicitly indicating that the symbol is the symbol of medicine (i.e. they use it to indicate medicine or medical practice), despite the fact that it has a long history as a symbol of commerce (and is broadly attested as having that significance to the present day).
[25] Instead, Rowley theorized that the bronze serpent destroyed by King Hezekiah was a sacred pre-Israelite symbol of serpent worship associated with a Canaanite god and was adapted by the Israelites following the occupation of Jerusalem. [26]
Three medical symbols involving snakes, still used today, are the Bowl of Hygieia symbolizing pharmacy, and the Caduceus and Rod of Asclepius, symbols of medicine. [29] The ouroboros is a widely used symbol, claimed to be related to alchemy. It is depicted as a coiled snake eating its own tail, representing the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
Another symbol previously used was the sword entwined by double winged serpents. This sword of caduceus was mistakenly used by the United States medical forces in place of the wand of Asclepius (one serpent without wings on a stick), a long-standing symbol of medical doctors and physicians. [citation needed] Other common symbols include
In The Observer Mark Kermode included Embrace of the Serpent in his top ten list of best films of 2016. [39] Embrace of the Serpent is ranked 2nd in Rotten Tomatoes' Best-Reviewed Foreign Language Movies 2016, [40] and 23rd in the Top 100 Movies of 2016 list. [41] It also was named the 12th best film of 2016 by Esquire. [42]
The ouroboros is often interpreted as a symbol for eternal cyclic renewal or a cycle of life, death and rebirth; the snake's skin-sloughing symbolises the transmigration of souls. The snake biting its own tail is a fertility symbol in some religions: the tail is a phallic symbol and the mouth is a yonic or womb-like symbol.