![]() ![]() It also appears in other Egyptian works and may represent the chaos surrounding the orderly world is considered a form of the ouroboros.Įngraving of an wyvern-type ouroboros by Lucas Jennis, in the 1625 alchemical tract De Lapide Philosophico. In this case, the circular serpent motif signifies the deity, “Mehen, the Enveloper,” guardian of Ra on his journey underground. The ouroboros motif encircles the head of the figure while another encircles the feet.Įxperts deem the text refers to the functioning of time. They were greatly influenced by the annual flooding of the Nile and the daily recurrent movement of the sun across the sky.Ī 14the BC funerary text, usually referred to as the “Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld,” inscribed on the second shrine of the sarcophagus in the tomb of Tutankhamun depicted a prominent figure, possibly representing the mummiform body of Tutankhamun, which is titled, “He who hides the Hours.” Alternatively, some archaeologists see it representing a union between Ra and Osiris. They considered time to be a succession of recurring cycles rather than a linear, constantly manifesting line of events. The ancient Egyptians associating the symbol with time and the universe. However, its use as a motif or symbol seems to have evolved later independently in other places. The first known use of the image is an artistic decoration on Chinese pottery belonging to the neolithic Yangshao People, who dwelt from 5000-3000 BC along the Yellow River in what is now eastern China. In other religions such as Christianity, snakes and serpents represent evil and other religions may have different associations not mentioned here. The ouroboros differs from other representations of serpent-like entities being a positive and necessary force for good. Mystics also linked the ouroboros with metempsychosis or transmigration of the soul. ![]() ![]() There is also the idea that the snake’s tail is a phallic symbol, with the mouth representing a womb, associating it with fertility. In certain ancient cultures, because snakes shed their old skins and grow new ones, they are symbols of the renewal of life. However, it could also spread from one place to another through trade, invasion, or the movement of people. The distance and the different human cultures where the ouroboros appears indicate a degree of independent evolution. It is not known if there was a central origin for the image from which it spread or if it evolved independently in various places. Despite the vast distances that sometimes separate it, the symbol carries similar connotations, though may be known by other terms. Remarkably similar versions of this motif have occurred worldwide throughout history. It later became adopted into the mystic symbols of alchemy, Hermeticism, and Gnosticism. It entered Western tradition and symbolism from ancient Egyptian and Hellenic iconography and conventions. The “oura” part means tail, and “boros,” meaning “eating,” so together, it becomes “tail devourer,” or ouroboros. Usually, it is considered a symbol of renewal – the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth, and immortality, but there are other interpretations. Interpretation depends on the culture and situation where it appears. It is not easy to tell if the snake is biting, eating, regurgitating, or even giving birth to itself. ![]() Its mouth is open, and its tail is adjacent to its mouth. The ancient symbol known as the ouroboros is a snake, serpent, or dragon with its body looped in a circle. GAllegre, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons THE OUROBOROS SYMBOL ![]()
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