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The Ouroboros is a greek word, and means "tail swallower." The ouroboros is usually depicted in the form of a snake swallowing its tail, and is usually circular, although it is sometimes depicted in a lemniscate shape. It originated in Egypt as a symbol of the sun, and represented the travels of the sun disk. In Gnosticism, it was related to the solar God Abraxas, and signified eternity and the soul of the world.

I got this from : http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefsouroboros.htm

What I would like to know is if there are any other meanings associated with this symbol. Also if it is called by another name. If you have read Robert Jordan's " The Wheel of Time" books you may notice that the author uses this symbol a great deal in his work. Since reading them, I have become more and more fascinated with the symbole. Any input?

from what ive read its mainly a symbol of ends always beging. then again i havent read that much.

Jessika..
I have seen it shown as a symbol used to represent the circle/cycle of life, I think it fits that useage well too.

eternity, life and death, the cycle of the sun/moon and on occasion...I have seen it signify reincarnation.

Generally it is used to represent cyclicality, eternity and unity, because not only is it a perfect circle (or infinity symbol), but it is also usually half dark/half light, representing duality without conflict. Similar to the Yin/Yang symbol.

I think 'Drakontion' has said it perfectly.

years ago the symbol was used for alchemical illustrations but more recently it has been used by psychologists as having an archetypal significance to the human psyche.

In fact, up to very recently the BMA (British medical association) still use this symbol and similar as their plaque and on their stationary etc

The Ouroboros is part of the symbol of House Eternal. From the HE main page:

We have a ring representing 'Eternal'- this ring is a snake eating it's tail (Ouroboros). Ouroboros most generally symbolizes ideas of cyclicality, primordial unity, or the vicious circle. This is an ancient symbol used to represent many things over time.



Any interpretation of the "never ending circle" can also be applied to the Ouroboros. It's just easier to see the "connection" created by the head/tail junction. Thus, better representing the dicotomy of having a beggining and an end, but then again not.

Like KCRC stated its a Neverending Circle ... Depicting Eternity .. When You look at a Circle it has no beginning and it has no end .. no sides no angles nothing.. so a constant cycle going on and on and ona Forever Process .. Thats all ive gotten that to mean the Snake is SYmbolic for the Life's Process

it is like the cletic knot. the trinity knot, and it symbolizes NO END!

The wife actually was interested in this symbol. She had seen it on a television show, and on-line, so she actually imcorporated this symbol in her first tattoo.

Turned out nice, even if does not represent any classical significance for her, but in drawing up the design, I did find the same research you have referenced.

i think the tv show that had that symbol was called Millennium....had the guy who played as the android in Aliens in it....he was always trying to prevent the end of the world.

It was also Scully's tattoo in the X-Files =P

Gnosticism
In Gnosticism, this serpent symbolized eternity and the soul of the world.


[edit] Christianity
Christianity adopted the ouroboros as a symbol of the limited confines of the material world (that there is an "outside" being implied by the demarcation of an inside), and the self-consuming transitory nature of a mere "worldly existence" of this world, following in the footsteps of the preacher in Ecclesiastes 3:9-14. G. K. Chesterton, in The Everlasting Man, uses it as a symbol of the circular and self-defeating nature of pantheistic mysticism and of most modern philosophy.

Additionally, the ouroboros has been incorporated into the crests of the Hungarian and Romanian Unitarian churches.


[edit] Hinduism
It is also present in some Hindu folk-myths, as the dragon circling the tortoise that supports the four elephants which support the world on their backs.[dubious – discuss]


[edit] Ashanti
Snakes are sacred animals in many West African religions. The demi-god Aidophedo uses the image of a serpent biting its own tail. The oroburus is also seen in fon or dahomean iconography as well as in yoruba imagery as Oshunmare


[edit] Aztec religion
The god Quetzalcoatl is sometimes portrayed as an ouroboros on Aztec and Toltec ruins.

sorry forgot link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros

Ancient christian sects believed that the material world was created and ruled by a demon that sought to trap mankind in a vicious cycle of separation from God... death and rebirth.... death and rebirth.... with the spirit passing from father to son through the act of sexual concourse (hence why sex even within marriage was frowned upon as buying into the demagogue's plan - a theme still found in the catholic church where priests are not permitted to marry)... it is interesting then to find that Moses proved his power by his ability to turn his staff into a serpent... the celts used this symbol....as did the vikings... the huns... the parthians.... some believe that the world is ruled by serpents beings... David Icke's books are worth a read in this vein....

In the Wheel of Time books Jordan uses the snake eating it's own tail imagery to represent the eternal cyclicality of time, the fact that whatever happens is merely a repeat of everything that has gone before. Which is similar to our perceptions of the use of the symbol, only possibly taking it a bit more literally.

Wow, It is amazing how many meanings a person can find for the same symbol, and yet one central theme seems to dominate the meaning: never ending circle.

I admire the explanation of my vampire brothers here.I`d also like to add something new at it.

Ouroborus it is the ancient expression of the "modern " law of physics reffering to energy that states that nothing is wasted in univers , all is transforming.
Also the alchemic symbol is directly related with the well known magick law: "as above, so below".

After my knowledge the symbol was described like the first form of the Universe in the Plato dialog "Timaeus" and then passed to the gnostics (and naasians that said the Messia was the serpent who will bring us a new world from the old one).

Also the symbol may be related with the enormous serpent Jormundgandr that circled Midgaard and signifies a limit of knowledge or of evolution of the human expansion (or the alchemical process - inner world).
In the so called Dark Ages the alchemists began describing of their work with a head of a dragon and finish it with a tale of dragon(caput et cauda draconis). And it is on your computer keyboard too ;) you are using these symbols in html often.

Sometimes is also considered a symbol of stagnation and of lack of progress like the Moebius strip or the titan Sisyphus.

Or, the opposite of stagnation: HOPE because every end is a new start.
Like many occult symbols this may be a paradox.

Also it is related with the myth of Eternal Return and the religious memory of every man.I put an Ouroborus at any holly-day of the year because it is a time to live again a mythic day of the past.Many persons who deny any religious feeling and celebrate their birthday are in fact a little religious without knowing because they try to recreate "those times" (ille tempore).

There are many other interesting things about that but I think it`s a very long post already.

Also it`s an interesting detail here I forgot to mention.
The dragon that bite his tail with a cross on it`s back was also the emblem of the Order of the Dragon(Societatis Draconistrarum) a chivalric order (that was supposed to keep the turks off Europe)
founded in 1408 by Emperor Sigismund, King of Hungary.
Vlad Dracul (The Father of Vlad Dracula Tepes) became a member of the Order in 1431 in Nurenberg (the year when his secon son, Vlad Dracula Tepes was born)!
Vlad Dracul weared proudly the sign and the red/green mantle of the Order untill he died.Because of his apartenance to the order his nick name was Dracul(and Vlad Tepes, his son was named Dracula - the son of Dracul).

It has been used to represent many things over the ages.. but it most generally symbolizes ideas of cyclicality.. unity.. or infinity

Agreed, it does seem to represent Circle of life/unity etc.

This Ouroboreous is good for to be cut in circles, and eaten as a specialty, the way Italians do it, since he is such a carefull meal, so he stuffed him self on his own for me.

this might explain a few things.

I had done some researches about egypt but never when to far as it was mroe out of religious for another religion reaseaches I did, but I ma really impress about this information, and finds it interesting.

A good link for those unfamiliar with the ouroboros, or circle of the dragon.

Ouroboros

In ancient greek, as you have already said, Ouroboros (pronounced ourovoros, ou= like "u" in put, and the whole word is stressed at the syllable "vo") means "the one who eats their tail".
In many civilisations, it depicts Eternity. Matter can not be destructed. It is reformed after the end of another form of matter. It also depicts the solar circle.

Apparently I've messed up with the specific picture (lol)... Anyway if you are still interested in this pic, just look up at the post of "DevilsConcubine" or visit the following URL:
http://hdelboy.club.fr/ouroboros.jpg
Sorry for the trouble...

I managed to make out some things of what this text says, although let me inform you that the pictures I found do not include the whole text (which means that there are serious gaps) as well as I am not so familiar with this specific dialect and writing style of Ancient Greek. Nevertheless, let me share with you what I found, which is not so revealing...

"This is the mystery, the Ourovoros Dragon. This is the [...] of the bodies of its work. [...] Of the light of the art's mysteries [...] it is its [...]
Its green is the infection (?) This is the meaning of it [...]
Its legs [...] of the art of the subject [...]
The right (?) ears of it are and the [...]. This is the [...]
Dragon the following guarding the [...] this who was gifted first [...] and from so much skin [...] and having taken its flesh until those [...]

Well, none of the above makes much sence (perhaps because I am not taught how to "decipher" this kind of texts...)
I know, it's all Greek to you :P

This is the picture... I hope I will not screw up with this again...

Wow I found this thread so interesting had to go look it up but had known some of what it stood for but found this link and it enlightened me more...

meltingpot.fortunecity.com/kuwait/557/ouroboros.html

http://www.crystalinks.com/ouroboros.html
This is cool, i found it by accident. every meaning for Ouroboros there.

This symbol is both fascinating and beautiful.. I did a bit of research. First, the Ouroboros is a Greek word that means tail-eater, it can be either a serpent or a dragon eating its own tail. It’s origins can be traced back to Ancient Egypt about 1600 BC. However many cultures also use a similar symbol. It has several interpretations representing the cycle of life, Ying and yang, beginnings and endings, and death and rebirth,

I believe it is a fascinating symbol that has man multiple meanings from balance, the continuity of life and beginnings and endings. I have seen it used as a symbol for eternity as well.

I have seen the Ouroboros used as the symbol for eternity as well. But have always recongised it as the symbol for the circle of life.

Eternity, life and death, the cycle of the sun/moon and it signify reincarnation. Not to mention it is beautiful

I just rearched this and all I could really find was this;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroborus

So that is where Oroboros got his VR name...interesting...good thread...

I have always been drawn to this symbol and I have seen it in many forms. My favourite take on it is its meaning of infinity:)