Ophiolatreia: Serpent Worship

by Hargrave Jennings, Tarl Warwick (Editor)

"Ophiolatreia," or "Serpent Worship," is one of the finest academic texts of the late 1800s. Not content to speak only of one time or culture, it delves into Hinduism, Druidism, Greek lore, the Roman Empire, Egypt ancient and then-modern, and Mesoamerica, and details a multitude of serpent-related rites, ruins, and religions therein. Invaluable to the academic and interesting to the occultist, the scope of this work is vast and its sources frequent and intricate. It lays bare the lore of a dozen ancient cultures and, in many cases, their modern counterparts, exposing the worldwide and constant prevalence of serpent worship which in some areas continues to this very day.

Genres: Mythology

134 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1889

About the author

1817?-1890

Reviews

[Kaberoi Rua · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book's content was impressive, clearly showing the author's thorough research on the worship of the serpent. Tracing it's influence through Babylon, Persia, Hindustan, Ceylon, China, Japan, Burmah Java, Arabia, Syria, Asia Minor, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, Italy, Northern and Western Europe, Mexico, Peru, and ancient America.

Ophiolatreia is a form of phallism that involves the worship of the sun and fire. After delving into numerous texts on serpent symbolism, I found myself engrossed in this particular book that shed light on aspects I had not encountered before.

Nevertheless, I rated the book a 3 because of the author's writing style. Despite being a revised 2015 edition, the book was first published in 1889, and I doubt the writing has been altered. The author's writing style didn't resonate with me. Although the information and content were commendable, I often found myself hurrying to complete the book. To put it simply, the author's writing style was incredibly dull.

The book is a valuable addition to your library, complementing other books on the same subject.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing work that is part of the "Phallic Worship" series of books by Anonymous (said to be Hargrave Jennings, author of "The Rosicrucians" and a Gnostic saint as listed in Crowley's Liber XV) from the 1880s. Its range is vast, exploring the figure of the serpent from ancient Greek to monuments discovered in the New World, including the mysterious serpent mounds of the mid-west U.S. Much of the focus, however, seems to be divided between ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient India and Mesoamerica, with, as mentioned above, details of the serpent mounds in the Mississippi Valley. While it is a short book, there is much information in here and much to ponder over. Though it is a product of the 19th century and some of the information may not be totally accurate, it is an engaging and vastly informative book which, in light of its age, provides hints for further research.