The Egyptian environment is characterized by the fact that it contains 36 species of snakes, including seven poisonous species, and these snakes attracted the attention of the ancient Egyptians, because they are found either in the desert or in agricultural land or even in water.
Why were snakes important in ancient Egyptian religion?
The ancient Egyptians chose snakes to play an important role in the ancient Egyptian belief, and this role was imagined by the Egyptians through the nature of snakes, it is known that snakes, every year, change their skin, and this process caught the attention of the ancient Egyptians, because it symbolizes a form of renewal that is equivalent to the renewal of time, and through this, snakes in ancient Egypt, especially the cobra snake, became associated in ancient Egypt with royalty.
According to ancient Egyptian belief, the ancient Egyptians called the cobra snake (jꜥrt) meaning raised or rising, and this may symbolize the shape of the Kubra snake's rising or rising body, because it is as if it were standing.
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| Snakes in Ancient Egypt Symbols of Power, Protection, Rebirth |
What is the significance of the Uraeus in ancient Egypt?
The ancient Egyptians envisioned that these snakes, especially the cobra snake in particular, would rise on the head of the god's crown to shoot flames out of its mouth, burning the god's enemies if they approached him in the ancient Egyptian belief.
Who was Wadjet and what was her role in Egyptian mythology?
The ancient Egyptians also expressed the snakes associated with royalty with many symbols, the most important of which was the Wadjet snake, which means the green snake and also means the prosperous snake, and this word expressed by the ancient Egyptians for the oldest goddess of royalty in ancient Egypt, the green or prosperous goddess Wadjet, whom the ancient Egyptians considered the protector of the lower crown of Egypt and is responsible for caring for this crown and crowning the king and protecting him with her magical power. This serpent always adorned the royal crown worn by kings in ancient Egypt.
How did ancient Egyptians view snakes in the afterlife?
Because snakes were changing their skin every year, the ancient Egyptians imagined snakes expressing time, so in the religious books in ancient Egypt, we find that snakes symbolize, in the folds of their skin and their severe twisting, this time that is constantly renewed, and we find that in the journey of the sun god's boat in the sky, he must enter the body of a snake from its end in order to come out of the mouth of this snake.
This body that the sun god enters is the time that the sun god travels in the other world, so the ancient Egyptians imagined that the twists in the snake's body are equivalent to the cycle of time in ancient Egypt.
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| Symbolism of the serpent in the journey of the sun god |
Since snake's spew venom, the ancient Egyptians envisioned snakes as protectors of the gates and entrances to the other world. For example, in the Book of Gates, we find that each gate or otherworldly region is protected by a large serpent, and this large serpent breathes flame and fire to burn the bodies of enemies. In order to burn the bodies of enemies, and the bodies of those who enter this area, to do evil or for an evil purpose, and to protect the gods who dwell in this place.
Snakes in ancient Egypt were associated with goddesses specifically, and we found that this association has a reason, which is that snakes were laying eggs, and these eggs in ancient Egypt are a symbol of motherhood, and a symbol of femininity in general, and that is why all goddesses are depicted in the form of snakes, such as Hathor, Isis, Wadjet and others, and these goddesses may be depicted as decorated snakes in the other world responsible for caring, feeding and protecting the deceased in the other world.
These snakes appear in otherworldly books and serve as protectors of the bodies of the deceased in the afterlife. Therefore, we find that the deceased god in the form of Osiris, for example, or in the form of the sun god, is surrounded by a large, multifaceted snake. This snake's role or function is to protect the god with his weak body as he goes through the experience of entering the other world, protecting him from any danger or harm. This is why snakes protect the sacred body in the next world.
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| the deceased god in surrounded by a large snake |
In order to punish sinners, these sinners are placed in a burning furnace of fire, and this fire is ignited by goddesses in the form of snakes that breathe flames to burn the bodies of these enemies who attacked ancient Egypt, so the snake in ancient Egypt symbolizes the powers of good as depicted in many goddesses, and also symbolizes the power of these goddesses when they express their anger towards sinners, and also symbolizes the evil forces that must be eliminated or controlled in the next world.
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| snakes that breathe flames to burn the bodies of these enemies who attacked ancient Egypt |
What does the snake symbolize in ancient Egyptian art and mythology?
The serpent also represents a state of danger and a state of harm. Magical spells must be recited to protect people from snake bites, as seen, for example, in the paintings known as the Horus Paintings, in which spells are recited to protect people from the bites of snakes, scorpions, and others. Thus, the snake symbolizes good on the one hand and evil that must be controlled on the other hand, in this world or in the next world.
