The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol, circular in shape, consisting of a snake biting its own tail. The snake tattoo design most often chosen to depict the meaning of rebirth is that of the Ouroboros. It can also express the belief that life and death are part of the same cycle.įrom an occult perspective, serpents are powerful alchemy symbols, associated with quicksilver – and therefore with psychic life forces of living, dying, and being reborn. Snakes have therefore long been considered symbolic of life, death, and being re-born.Ī snake style tattoo can thus mean rebirth – for instance, marking a powerful transformation or pivotal point in one’s life. It’s a perfectly normal process, but to the humans of thousands of years ago, it must have appeared magical to say the least. The purpose behind this behavior is to allow further growth and remove parasites. This is a process where snakes effectively slither out of their old skin, leaving it behind in one piece. This association is likely to do with the snake’s habit of shedding its skin. Prior to being effectively defamed by the Christian tradition and mythology, snakes were symbolic primarily of rebirth, in a number of cultures and traditions. It’s only since the Christian Bible used a snake as a manifestation of the devil that these negative connotations emerged and, unfortunately for our scaly, serpentine friends – stuck. Snakes are powerful symbols with a long history of representing primarily positive ideas and concepts. ‘Snake’ is a derogatory term with negative implications.Ĭonsider for instance how calling someone a ‘snake in the grass’ is equal to referring to them as treacherous and deceitful.

Nowadays, for most people – particularly in the West – the snake is a symbol of the devil, of lies and deception, and of manipulation. In this article, we’re going to explore the various meanings of the snake in tattoo art, as well as considering some of the most popular snake tattoo designs.įirst things first: what does a snake-themed design mean? Snake themed tattoos, just like the animal they feature, can have a whole range of seemingly conflicting meanings. The snake is one of the oldest and most complex symbols, and its meaning is filled with contradictions, ambiguities, and duality. Looking for some snake tattoo ideas? Read on to see some of the best designs we’ve encountered.

Color snake tattoo