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Snake tattoos represent one of the most controversial symbols in the history of mankind. Used to represent a myriad of meanings, both positive and negative, these tats offer the prospective tat customer a flexibility of symbolism unlike any other tattoo image available. Snake tattoos are as mysterious and contradictory as the animal themselves. Snakes have gotten a bad rap in Western culture--- many point to the serpent’s role in the book of Genesis as proof that these animals are bad. And snake tats do play upon this devilish nature of the snake with tats like cobra tattoos and dagger/snake tattoos that are popular with people who wish to emphasize the fighting and venomous nature of these mysterious reptiles. But in many parts of the world snake tattoos represent an animal that is more a reflection of nature itself than of evil. One popular design is a serpent entwining the earth inspired from Norse mythology which believed that the ocean was a serpent who cradled the land. And in India, which is home to the very deadly Cobra, snake designs represent rebirth and eternal life, with the snake’s shedding of skin being a powerful metaphor for reincarnation. One of the most popular of snake tattoos is the ouroboros. This powerful image of a snake eating its tail has been used as a symbol for continuity and the cyclical nature of life in cultures as disparate as the Aztecs and the alchemists of medieval Europe. It continues to prove popular as body art that eerily resembles the image for eternity. Snake tattoos can probably attribute much of their popularity to their ability to mean almost anything. They are popular as tat images in a military and gang/culture context that emphasize ferocity, but also popular as benevolent images hat come out of the Chinese Zodiac tradition. Whatever personal meaning you ascribe to your tat, feel confident that you are using a powerful symbol that has captivated the imagination of mankind for thousands of years. |
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