Snake Charm on Your Arm

An Egyptian snake bracelet spins a story

Snake Charm on Your Arm

Jump to transcript
Illustration of a snake wrapped into a circlet over a lime green background.

By Tocarra Elise, Zoe Goldman

Sep 8, 2025 10:15 min

Social Sharing

Body Content

How does a snake bracelet celebrate her favorite holiday?

Learn about gold jewelry, the meaning of snakes for ancient Egyptians, and the Roman holiday of Saturnalia from this snake who knows all the best secrets!

More to Explore:

A bracelet made out of gold and shaped like a snake.

Snake Bracelet, 100 BCE–100 CE, Egypt. Gold, glass, 2 13/16 in. Getty Museum

Marble relief sculpture depicting a seated woman opening a box presented to by an attendant.

This funerary relief shows a woman wearing snake bracelets. If you look at the woman on the right, you'll see a bracelet on her wrist and upper arm. Grave Naiskos of an Enthroned Woman with an Attendant, about 100 BCE, East Greek. Marble, 37 1/4 × 47 1/2 × 8 1/2 in. Getty Museum

Back to Top