Snake worship Snake worship Snake worship is devotion to serpent deities. The tradition is present in several ancient cultures, particularly in religion and mythology, where snakes were seen as entities of strength and renewal. In Africa the chief centre of serpent worship was Dahomey, but the cult of the python seems to have been of exotic origin, dating back to the first quarter of the 17th century. By the conquest of Whydah the Dahomeyans were brought in contact with a people of serpent worshippers, and ended by adopting from them the beliefs which they at first despised. At Whydah, the chief centre,
Black snake (firework) Black snake (firework) Black snake (or Sugar snake) and Pharaoh's serpent are two similar types of firework. After being lit, both fireworks begin to smoke and spew out ash resembling a snake via an intumescent reaction. They stay on the ground and do not emit sparks, flares, any form of projectiles, or any sound, but may release smoke. Sodium bicarbonate which produces carbon dioxide gas, and sugar forming carbon containing ash, are common chemicals used for the black snake demonstration. Other sources report the contents as "a nitrated mixture of linseed oil and naphthalenes". The traditional "Pharaoh's serpent" version of