Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Tourism Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Fayoum University, fayoum, Egypt
2
Tourism Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and hotels, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
3
Tourism Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
Abstract
This study examines the complex evolution of serpent ornamentation in Egypt from the Predynastic period through the Islamic era, revealing symbolic continuity and transformation patterns across millennia. Through comparative analysis of archaeological artifacts, artistic representations, and textual sources, this research identifies how serpent symbolism maintained certain core functions while adapting to profound religious and cultural changes. In Ancient Egypt, serpents embodied a multivalent symbolism—representing divine protection through the uraeus, cosmic chaos through Apophis, healing through various deities, and regeneration through shedding skin. The transition to Islamic Egypt witnessed significant recontextualization of these motifs, with serpents appearing in religious narratives as tempters, medical contexts as healing symbols, and architectural settings as protective devices. Three detailed case studies demonstrate how specific serpent motifs evolved across these periods, revealing mechanisms of cultural transmission, including artistic workshops, textual traditions, and unconscious symbolic inheritance. This study contributes to understanding how ancient symbols persist through cultural transitions, adapting to new religious frameworks while maintaining core symbolic functions. The findings suggest that serpent ornamentation in Egypt represents artistic continuity and a complex negotiation between inherited symbolic language and new cultural imperatives, offering insights into broader cultural adaptation processes and symbolic transformation throughout human history.
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