Snake Tattoos

What does a snake tattoo mean?

Few tattoo motifs carry as much double meaning as the snake. In Jewish and Christian tradition it is the tempter of Eden; elsewhere it stands for eternity and renewal. A serpent biting its own tail appears in Egyptian myth and later in Norse lore as Jörmungandr, and because a snake sheds its skin, it works easily as a symbol of starting over. A Buddhist legend tells of the naga king Mucalinda, who spread his hoods over the meditating Buddha to shelter him from a storm. In Greek myth snakes twine around the staff of Hermes, and the serpent of Asclepius remains an emblem of medicine. People choose a snake tattoo as a talisman, a sign of wisdom and patience, or simply for the line it draws across the body. Paired with a skull, it sets transformation against permanence.

snake tattoo meaning