What does a snake ring symbolize?
The serpent, or snake, is one of the oldest and most extensive mythological symbols. The word serpent comes from the Latin “Serpens”. The snake is associated with some of the oldest rituals known to mankind and represents the dual expression of good and evil.
Snakes are one of the most common symbolic creatures in human history. In different cultures, snakes have many different symbolic meanings. For most people, the snake symbolizes evil, death, the devil, and things that are scary and dark. In fact, in addition to symbolizing death and evil, snakes are seen as symbols of healing, medicine, and even power in many cases.
The snake also represents fertility or creative vitality. Snakes have the ability to shed their skin. In ancient Greece and Rome, the shedding of snakeskin was regarded as a symbol of regeneration and rebirth.
Symbolic Meanings of Snake Rings
The image of the coiled snake of snake rings best reflects the image of the circle. The circle has always been an important symbol of the ancient civilization, representing completeness and perfection. The endless ring also represents the sun, the moon and the universe.
Snake rings have different meanings in different cultures. Snake ring crafts are found in Christianity and Hinduism, as well as in the cultures of Aztec, Norwegian and Chinese civilizations. In Greek mythology, the snake is a symbol of wisdom. People wear snake rings to commemorate Asclepius. Asclepius is the god of medicine in Greece. A snake is wrapped around his staff.
The most popular meaning among the many meanings of snake rings is eternity. In 1840, Prince Albert designed a snake ring for Queen Victoria. Two snakes were wrapped around the fingers to symbolize eternal love.
Ouroboros is a symbol of a snake in ancient Egypt that eats its own tail. It is depicted on the tomb of King Tutankhamun in the 14th century BC. The Ouroboros represents the concept of eternity and endless return, as well as the unity of time's beginning and end.
The History of Snake Rings
Throughout the ages and civilizations, all peoples who mastered the art of forging made the ring a serpentine shape. For a long time, these rings were made of precious metals (gold and silver). Therefore, they are reserved for the richest and most powerful people.
In many ancient civilizations, people began to wear and worship snake-shaped jewelry. Both the Maya and the Aztecs have snake gods in their religious beliefs. Traditionally, these gods were worshipped and respected for representing knowledge and protection.
In the 19th century, the snake or serpent ring was very popular with the ladies, who found this style very flattering. Snake-shaped rings are often paired with snake-shaped bracelets, brooches or hat pins. In addition to diamonds, the snake ring is also inlaid with rubies, sapphires and many other types of gems.
The Victorian era was heavily influenced by Roman and Greek treasures. When Queen Victoria chose a golden snake ring with gems and diamonds as the design of the engagement ring, the popularity of the snake ring reached its peak.
In the Art Nouveau era, snakes were also a popular theme in jewelry because they fit the popular design style, which is the smooth lines in jewelry. The pattern of snakeskin and colorful scales make the style of snake jewelry full of vitality.
In the Art Deco era, snake jewelry and other ancient Egyptian style jewelry became popular due to the excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt. Such as the combination of blue enamel, turquoise and gold jewelry, and insect jewelry such as scarab beetles.
Another reason why the snake ring became popular in the Victorian and Edwardian eras and the Art Deco period is that the manufacturing process of jewelry changed after the Industrial Revolution. Jewelry has changed from hand-made to machine-made. This means that the production speed of jewelry has become faster, and it also means that the cost of jewelry is greatly reduced, and jewelry that has become cheaper is easier to accept by the general public.
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