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The Serpent of Loch Nell
Serpent Day
Feb 1
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"When dealing with serpents, always bring a gift—preferably not yourself."
~ Serpent etiquette
Appease all terrorizing serpents (especially in this "Year of the Snake") by offering them a tribute gift dance, in this case, a 32 bar strathspey for three hissing couples ending with ... a snake figure, inspired by the ancient earth monument, the Loch Nell Serpent Mound, in Argyll, Scotland!
The Serpent of Loch Nell slithers through Scottish folklore as a monstrous beithir, a fearsome water beast said to haunt the dark waters of this Argyllshire loch. According to legend, the creature terrorized the land, emerging from the depths to devour livestock, destroy crops, and strike fear into the hearts of villagers. Some believe it was a bringer of storms and misfortune, while others claim it guarded ancient secrets, growing violent when its domain was disturbed. Its reign of terror ended when a fearless warrior, sometimes identified as Duncan Ban MacIntyre, struck it down with his spear, leaving behind the so-called Serpent’s Stone, an ancient carved rock near the loch. Hisssss! 🎁 🐍 🚫 😆 🕺 💃
The Serpent of Loch Nell
Serpent mounds, enigmatic earthworks shaped like winding snakes, have long intrigued historians and archaeologists. These undulating formations are often associated with ancient spiritual practices, marking significant sites for prehistoric peoples. While serpent mounds are more commonly studied in North America, particularly the famous Serpent Mound in Ohio, Scotland also has its share of these mysterious structures, with the most well-known example located near Loch Nell, Argyll.
The Loch Nell Serpent Mound, sometimes called the Serpent Hill, is an ancient earthwork believed to date back to the Neolithic or early Bronze Age. It stretches in a sinuous form along the landscape, resembling a coiled serpent with its “head” positioned near a cairn. This alignment has led some scholars to speculate that the mound had ritualistic or astronomical significance, possibly connected to early sun worship or fertility rites. The cairn at the "head" suggests that the mound may have been a burial site, linking it to the widespread practice of associating serpentine shapes with death, rebirth, and the afterlife.
Other serpentine formations in Scotland, though less well-documented, have been identified in regions such as Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, often in proximity to ancient stone circles or cairns. These mounds may have served similar ceremonial functions, possibly symbolizing a connection between the terrestrial and spiritual worlds. In Celtic traditions, serpents were often associated with wisdom, transformation, and the guardianship of sacred knowledge, which could provide insight into the role these structures played for the prehistoric communities who built them.
For more on this serpent mound and surrounding area, click the beautiful landscape view over the cairn and serpent mound with the peaks of Cruachan visible in the distance from The Hazel Tree website.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
