Why was Medusa given a head of snakes?

The snake-haired Medusa does not become widespread until the first century B.C. The Roman author Ovid describes the mortal Medusa as a beautiful maiden seduced by Poseidon in a temple of Athena. Such a sacrilege attracted the goddess’ wrath, and she punished Medusa by turning her hair to snakes.

What are the special symbols objects or animals that are associated with Medusa?

There are some stories that specify an affair with Medusa which led to her giving birth to Pegasus from her neck when Perseus sliced her head. His symbols are the trident, horse, dolphin, fish and bull. His Roman counterpart was Neptune.

What are Medusa’s snakes names?

The flag and emblem of Sicily also features her head. Two species of snakes contain her name: the venomous pitviper Bothriopsis medusa and the nonvenomous snake called Atractus medusa.

Why did Athena curse Medusa with snakes?

Athena looked down in anger and cursed Medusa for betraying her. Medusa was sent to a faraway island and was cursed so that no man would want her. She was given cracked skin, madness, and her signature snake hair and stone eyes. She was scared of her powers and angry at the gods for cursing her.

What does Medusa tattoo symbolize?

According to The Met Museum, Medusa is portrayed in most Greek art as an “apotropaic symbol used to protect and ward off the negative,” representing a “dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil.”

Why is Medusa portrayed as a monster?

In this popular version the Medusa is a monster with hair of a thousand snakes. She is under a curse which causes everything she looks at to turn to stone. Cixous explains that this monstrous image of the Medusa exists only because it has been directly determined by the male gaze.

What kind of snakes are on Medusa’s head?

The snakes would most likely be asps, a modern derivation of aspis, which referred to many venomous snake species of the Nile region. It’s generally accepted that asp refers to what is now known as the Egyptian cobra.

What does a Medusa tattoo mean?

What does medmedusa’s snakes mean?

Medusa’s snakes were said to represent the cycle of life, rebirth, and death. Snakes shed their skin regularly, which symbolizes the “death” of their previous self and grow into their new skins during their “rebirth”.

What is the meaning of the Medusa head?

The flag and emblem of Sicily also features her head. Two species of snakes contain her name: the venomous pitviper Bothriopsis medusa and the nonvenomous snake called Atractus medusa. Medusa represents philosophy, beauty and art. The Medusa head is part of fashion designer Gianni Versace’s symbol.

What does a Medusa Tattoo symbolize?

In the end, your tattoo will symbolize what you want it too. Below, there are the most common meanings that you can apply to your Medusa tattoo: The snakes on her head represent the natural cycle of life. They actually symbolize death and rebirth. According to some sources, Medusa also had wings, which symbolize freedom.

What do snakes symbolize in Greek mythology?

In contrast to how Snakes are referenced in Bible, Greek Mythology portrays snake symbolism many different ways. For example, in Ancient Greece, snakes were mostly a symbol of good luck. Additionally, our Greek ancestors would often craft various artifacts as snakes as a way to ward off evil.