Snakes live in almost all environments and thus appear in all ancient cultures, albeit with different connotations. Belonging to the taxonomic order Serpentes, dozens of snake species live in the southern Levant, and it is often difficult to distinguish them in ancient written sources and artistic representations. In the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, a serpent steals from Gilgamesh and eats the magical herb that could grant immortality. Several Near Eastern gods are associated with snakes, which generally connote danger or the strength to overcome it. In Canaanite religion, the serpent was associated with the god Baal, whose wife Asherah was […]
