Serpentina

Sin and temptation, wisdom and deceit, death and damnation, but also eternity and renewal, protection and healing power - the symbolic meanings of the snake are as manifold as the myths, sagas and legends in which it plays a significant role. The snake led Adam and Eve into temptation in the Garden of Eden, the Uraeus snake was the symbol of the pharaohs in ancient Egypt, the Midgard serpent inhabited the ocean of Germanic mythology, it was the ancient symbol of the art of healing, was worshipped as the snake spirit in India and as a deity in African and Central American cultures.

In all eras and in all cultures, the snake has fascinated humankind and inspired the creation of striking works of art. This publication is dedicated for the first time to the whole spectrum of the snake in jewellery, for few artists, jewellers or even the jewellery industry could resist the temptation to incorporate this creature into jewellery design. The examples span everything from Hellenistic snake bangles to the glittering art nouveau creations by Lalique and Fournet, from the luxurious creations by Cartier and Fabergé to the playful objects of contemporary jewellery artists, from snake motifs from Mexico and the golden snakes of the Akan in Ghana to Indian snake jewellery and Japanese snake netsukes. In jewellery the seductive power of the snake is unfailing. Let it put you under its spell!