Troubling. I might add that serpents are obviously central to mythologies from Mesoamerica (Quetzalcoatl) to China (dragons). Perhaps the cult is so ancient as to precede the migrations of Homo sapiens across the continents.
Indeed. I had something about snake mythologies across the world in an earlier draft - also the rainbow serpent of the aboriginals and Nuwa of chinese mythology.
I have spent a year or so developing this idea! Since the beginning of anthropology it has been noted that the Aztecs, Incas, Scythians, Zohak, Abyssians, Egyptians, Arawak, Greeks, Papua New Guineans and the Chinese have myths where they sprang from the union of a First Woman and a serpent. Many scholars interpret this as a phylogeny with a root in the Ice Age. I think that it spread so wide and was remembered so long because it was part of the original package of creation myths: the first good answer to where life came from.
As I said, I've spent a long time on this subject, so I also have a more expanded/serious/polished version here: https://www.vectorsofmind.com/p/eve-theory-of-consciousness-v3 But that is 30,000 words so I feel weird linking it as a comment. ctrl-f "scythians" if you just want a bit more info about the list of cultures that say they came from snakes.
edit: reading the rest of the comments I see that this was already linked and you're already familiar. Will leave this here nonetheless.
I was going to share it with you shortly, glad you found your way to it already! Obviously my framing of this is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I'm totally with you on there being something going on here regarding snakes, human origins, etc.
Part 2 coming in a few weeks where I'll mention your work more directly, I'll pass it along!
You need to use modern paradigms to make sense of these highly symbolic texts. For instance, a Freudian-Girardian reading will show us that the snake is obviously a phallic symbol of the scapegoat mechanism.
Great essay; I really enjoy it. I must add anyway that seeing the snake negatively seems more like a very Christian projection onto what the author of Genesis (J tradition) actually meant. Throughout the Levant, snakes are symbols of knowledge and wisdom; so it couldn't make more sense to put a snake at the tree of knowledge. When Genesis says the snake was not a god, but a creature created by God, it's actually a polemical statement against surrounding cultures. Nevertheless, a class of angels described in the bible, named as Seraphs, are also probably giant snakes of fire.
I also forgot to mention that the serpent doesn't actually lie to Eve. It says they would be like God if they ate the fruit. After they eat it, God literally confirms what the serpent has told: "behold they have become like me, knowing what is good and bad; thus I will ban them from this garden so that they can never eat the fruit of life and become immortals". This basically explains why men die: because he doesn't eat the fruit of life anymore (in Norse mythology, there is also a fruit that keep the gods alive and immortal). And at this primitive stage of hebrew thought, dying was cruel: there was no afterlife (cf. Psalm 6, Isaiah 38, Ecclesiastes 9). And I risk to say that the reason why first men lived hundreds of years according to the Bible is due to the fact that Adam and Eve were at first allowed to eat the fruit.
>The Ophites have a snake, which they keep in a certain chest—the cista mystica—and which at the hour of their mysteries they bring forth from its cave. They heap loaves upon the table and summon the serpent.
If I recall the Egyptian mystery cult to Isis featured a reveal of a secret chest containing grain and snake as well. And what's inside the Arc of the Covenant? The tablets on which the 10 commandments are inscribed, the Rod of Aaron, and manna. The Rod, obviously, can also be interpreted as a snake. The mysteries at Eleusis also combine grain and snakes: Demeter is often shown with both in her hands.
IMO it's quite an ancient tradition, possibly going back to Gobekli Tepe, which is covered in snake iconography and has all sorts of vats used to ferment wheat. Rituals involving snakes and agrarian goddesses in Turkey 12,000 years ago -> mystery cults of antiquity and the old testament fixation with snakes (often paired with grain).
An interesting supplement to this observation: the institution of science also has a number of inconsistencies contained within it, which are confidently stated to be nonexistent by its believers.
What if this pattern is pointing to something greater but yet to be discovered (aka: *nonexistent*, according to scientists)?
An interesting German myth related to the Ophic ritual records Attilla visiting a Roman temple as part of the conquest, but neglected to offer bread. Procopius writes that the snake did not emerge from its box, ruining the ritual and providing the basis for "Baby got Back".
Does this explain those American Christians who worship snakes?
Yes
Troubling. I might add that serpents are obviously central to mythologies from Mesoamerica (Quetzalcoatl) to China (dragons). Perhaps the cult is so ancient as to precede the migrations of Homo sapiens across the continents.
Indeed. I had something about snake mythologies across the world in an earlier draft - also the rainbow serpent of the aboriginals and Nuwa of chinese mythology.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nüwa
I have spent a year or so developing this idea! Since the beginning of anthropology it has been noted that the Aztecs, Incas, Scythians, Zohak, Abyssians, Egyptians, Arawak, Greeks, Papua New Guineans and the Chinese have myths where they sprang from the union of a First Woman and a serpent. Many scholars interpret this as a phylogeny with a root in the Ice Age. I think that it spread so wide and was remembered so long because it was part of the original package of creation myths: the first good answer to where life came from.
Read more at https://www.vectorsofmind.com/p/the-snake-cult-of-consciousness
As I said, I've spent a long time on this subject, so I also have a more expanded/serious/polished version here: https://www.vectorsofmind.com/p/eve-theory-of-consciousness-v3 But that is 30,000 words so I feel weird linking it as a comment. ctrl-f "scythians" if you just want a bit more info about the list of cultures that say they came from snakes.
edit: reading the rest of the comments I see that this was already linked and you're already familiar. Will leave this here nonetheless.
I was going to share it with you shortly, glad you found your way to it already! Obviously my framing of this is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I'm totally with you on there being something going on here regarding snakes, human origins, etc.
Part 2 coming in a few weeks where I'll mention your work more directly, I'll pass it along!
Snakes also figure prominently in Andrew Cutler's "Eve Theory of Consciousness" -
https://www.vectorsofmind.com/p/eve-theory-of-consciousness-v3
Referenced another one of his posts in a link - very important work.
Thanks for the link!
You need to use modern paradigms to make sense of these highly symbolic texts. For instance, a Freudian-Girardian reading will show us that the snake is obviously a phallic symbol of the scapegoat mechanism.
I have no idea if this is a parody or not.
lol
Great essay; I really enjoy it. I must add anyway that seeing the snake negatively seems more like a very Christian projection onto what the author of Genesis (J tradition) actually meant. Throughout the Levant, snakes are symbols of knowledge and wisdom; so it couldn't make more sense to put a snake at the tree of knowledge. When Genesis says the snake was not a god, but a creature created by God, it's actually a polemical statement against surrounding cultures. Nevertheless, a class of angels described in the bible, named as Seraphs, are also probably giant snakes of fire.
Thank you! Thats very interesting to hear and definitely tracks with my thinking.
Very interesting
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph
I also forgot to mention that the serpent doesn't actually lie to Eve. It says they would be like God if they ate the fruit. After they eat it, God literally confirms what the serpent has told: "behold they have become like me, knowing what is good and bad; thus I will ban them from this garden so that they can never eat the fruit of life and become immortals". This basically explains why men die: because he doesn't eat the fruit of life anymore (in Norse mythology, there is also a fruit that keep the gods alive and immortal). And at this primitive stage of hebrew thought, dying was cruel: there was no afterlife (cf. Psalm 6, Isaiah 38, Ecclesiastes 9). And I risk to say that the reason why first men lived hundreds of years according to the Bible is due to the fact that Adam and Eve were at first allowed to eat the fruit.
Seraphs giant snakes of fire? Based on what? According to wiki they are described as "six-winged beings" in book of Isaiah.
Its in the wikipedia…
>The Ophites have a snake, which they keep in a certain chest—the cista mystica—and which at the hour of their mysteries they bring forth from its cave. They heap loaves upon the table and summon the serpent.
If I recall the Egyptian mystery cult to Isis featured a reveal of a secret chest containing grain and snake as well. And what's inside the Arc of the Covenant? The tablets on which the 10 commandments are inscribed, the Rod of Aaron, and manna. The Rod, obviously, can also be interpreted as a snake. The mysteries at Eleusis also combine grain and snakes: Demeter is often shown with both in her hands.
IMO it's quite an ancient tradition, possibly going back to Gobekli Tepe, which is covered in snake iconography and has all sorts of vats used to ferment wheat. Rituals involving snakes and agrarian goddesses in Turkey 12,000 years ago -> mystery cults of antiquity and the old testament fixation with snakes (often paired with grain).
Ahhh interesting connection!
Not exactly related but re: Arc of the Covenant I'm reminded of this (which is excellent)
https://samkriss.substack.com/p/the-dust-of-god
An interesting supplement to this observation: the institution of science also has a number of inconsistencies contained within it, which are confidently stated to be nonexistent by its believers.
What if this pattern is pointing to something greater but yet to be discovered (aka: *nonexistent*, according to scientists)?
An interesting German myth related to the Ophic ritual records Attilla visiting a Roman temple as part of the conquest, but neglected to offer bread. Procopius writes that the snake did not emerge from its box, ruining the ritual and providing the basis for "Baby got Back".
Yes.
You might consider this alternative take on what is, after all, the foundational myth of Western culture and civilization: https://shorturl.at/mORTX
🐍🐍🐍
yes!