What Do Serpents Symbolize on Tarot Cards?

Serpents appear on these Tarot cards:

Scroll down to see each card

Serpents are a subtle but important symbol found on three individual cards on the well-known Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot artwork.

The symbols won't necessarily make an appearance in all contemporary decks, however many newer Tarot sets do include adaptations of the same, widely accepted Rider-Waite symbols.

Here's What a serpent symbolizes in Tarot

Serpent and snake symbolism in Tarot is closely connected to the traditional serpent of Eden.

temptation, deception and the dangers of false promises

The serpent of the Bible represents temptation, deception and the dangers of false promises.

In broad strokes, snakes in Tarot have a meaning of a simple warning about deception — reminding us to resist temptation and to think carefully.

Here Are the 3 Tarot Cards Where Serpents Are Found

The Seven of Cups

The Lovers

The Wheel of Fortune

NOTE: The one Tarot card where a snake arguably does not reference the serpent from the Bible (although it may, depending on the reader) is the Wheel of Fortune card. Around the inner hub of the Wheel, we see an Egyptian Sphinx, a large snake and a mysterious red figure. It would be easy to assume that the red figure is a traditional devil. But the appearance of the Sphinx suggests that these three creatures are not actualy Biblical references, but characters from ancient mythology: Namely, a Sphinx, Anubis the jackal, and Typhon the serpent — representing destruction and chaos.

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