What is the name of the Chinese fan? History of Japanese fans. Self-defense and tessen
I’m following with interest my trip to Malaysia (where I’m going soon), it’s charming married couple new friends allworld4us
, and today I saw the frighteningly alluring splendor of the fauna - meet the Horned Viper:
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HORNED VIPER (Cerastes cerastes)- a snake 60-80 cm long, with a thick body and a sharply tapered short tail. One sharp vertical scale sticks out above the eyes. The length of these scales varies greatly. The scales on the sides of the body are smaller than the dorsal ones, strongly keeled and directed obliquely downwards, forming a kind of saw running along each side. The color is sandy yellow with dark brown spots along the back and on both sides of the body.
The snake inhabits the entire Sahara Desert and the adjacent foothills and dry savannas, as well as the Arabian Peninsula. The horned viper moves in a “sideways motion”, throwing the back half of its body forward and to the side and pulling the front part towards it. In this case, not a single trace remains on the sand, but separate oblique stripes at an angle of 40-60° to the direction of movement. In the process of movement, the snake periodically changes the “working side” of its body, moving forward either with its left or right side. In this way, a uniform load on the muscles of the body is achieved with an asymmetrical method of movement.
Small keeled scales, sawtooth-shaped, located on the sides of the body, bring double benefits to the snake. Primarily, they serve as the main burrowing mechanism for burying the snake in the sand. The viper spreads its ribs apart, flattens its body and, with rapid transverse vibration, pushes the sand to the sides, “drowning” in it literally before our eyes. The keeled scales act like miniature plows. In 10-20 seconds, the horned viper disappears into the sand.
Having buried itself, the snake often sticks its head out of the sand just enough so that its eyes are level with the surface. In this case, a thin layer of sand remains on the upper side of the head, masking it. In addition, the keeled scales are used by the viper to make a kind of scaring sound. Curled into a half ring, the snake rubs one side of its body against the other, sawtooth scales scrape against each other, emitting a loud, continuous rustling sound. This sound is most similar to the hissing of water spilled on a hot stove. A disturbed viper can continuously “hiss” in this way for 1-2 minutes.
The horned viper was well known to the ancient Egyptians. It was this type of snake that served as the basis for the Egyptian hieroglyph “phi”. The choice of snake for this hieroglyph is probably due to the onomatopoeic similarity. Snake charmers in Egypt, both before and now, willingly use in their performances, in addition to cobras, also horned vipers. The “horns” of vipers are undoubtedly the most spectacular attribute of their appearance, but the supraorbital scales are sometimes very weakly expressed. Therefore, some spellcasters, not content with the natural size of the “horns,” glue the sharp tips of porcupine quills over the eyes of their “artists” to ensure their success with the gullible public.
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Snakes are truly amazing creatures. Since ancient times, people have made up legends about them, admired them and feared them. IN lately It has become very popular to keep snakes at home. Let's get acquainted with a representative of this suborder of the Reptile class, which is called the horned viper.
Appearance and dimensions
The reptile got its name because of the two large scales that are located above its eyes and are shaped like horns.
The length of the snake does not exceed eighty centimeters, and its color is identical to the color of sand with brownish inclusions. With the help of such camouflage, it merges with its habitat, and it is extremely difficult to notice it. 
Her body is covered with scales, up to thirty-three in each belt: on the sides they are smaller and sharper, running across the entire surface at an angle downward, resembling a saw. The snake uses them to dig through sand in times of danger.
The horned viper has a triangular head, which is clearly separated from the neck by an interception. The tail is also clearly separated, becoming thinner towards the end. The scale-colored eyes have vertical pupils.
IN wildlife This species of viper lives up to fifteen years, and in captivity - up to twenty.
Did you know?The ancient Egyptians immortalized the horned viper by creating the hieroglyph "phi" in its honor. This became her middle name.
Where does it live?
The horned viper is found throughout the north African continent, with the exception of Morocco, and the Arabian Peninsula. She lives in the desert and sultry savannah. The reptile tolerates temperature changes well and can for a long time do without water.
During the day, the snake rests in burrows abandoned by rodents - while only its eyes remain on the surface, so it is completely impossible to notice. At night, the snake hunts, waiting for its prey. 
What does it eat?
The diet of the adult horned viper is dominated by small rodents and birds. It hunts in the following way: after patiently waiting for the victim, the viper very quickly bites it and injects poison. After this, it waits until the prey stops moving and swallows it whole.
It is difficult for young animals to cope with such food, so they prefer to eat locusts, insects and lizards.
Did you know?It takes the viper less than a second to pounce on the victim, bite it, inject poison and return to its original position.
Mating season and reproduction
The mating season of the horned viper begins in mid-spring and ends in the first month of summer. All individuals - both females and males - are very actively looking for a mate and after mating they part forever.
These reptiles lay eggs, so after mating the female looks for a secluded and suitable place for future offspring. As a rule, this can be a burrow with wet soil. She lays about two dozen eggs in it and leaves this place.
After two months, small live snakes emerge from the eggs, which from the first day lead an independent lifestyle. 
Is the bite dangerous for humans?
The phi's bite is dangerous, but not fatal to humans. Its venom contains hemolytic toxins that decompose tissue. When it enters the body, it seems that the heart is compressed. The Egyptians found an antidote for the bite of this snake two thousand years ago.
It is only necessary to provide them with comfortable living conditions that are similar to their habitat. Vipers are also convenient because they can go without eating for about two months. Note that in captivity, phi live about five years longer. 
Terrarium
The terrarium for a snake should be medium: it can be wooden or plastic, at least a meter in length, more than sixty centimeters in width and up to fifty in height. It is divided at your discretion by a partition with round hole, large enough for a snake to fit into it.
Important!The bite of a horned viper is quite dangerous, so when caring for it you should be extremely careful and have an antidote at home.
One part of the terrarium will be conditionally dark, and the second will be light. In addition, both parts must open so that you can safely clean the room and feed your pet. The partition is also installed in order to maintain the temperature difference in the terrarium, as in the habitat.
A special lamp is installed in the light part, which should maintain the optimal temperature for the reptile - 37 ° C. You can put a stone or a piece of slate under it: the snake will bask on it. At night the lights are turned off and the temperature gradually drops.
Sand is used as a substrate; its layer must be at least five centimeters. The dark half of the terrarium should be sprayed with a spray bottle in the morning and evening - there should be sufficient humidity there. 
Feeding
Horned vipers need to be fed the same thing they eat in nature, namely small rodents. These could be mice, small rats, hamsters. Experts recommend stunning the rodent before feeding. This food should be given to the snake once every seven to ten days.
Important!If you are bitten by a snake, especially a poisonous one, you should immediately seek medical help.
There must be a drinking bowl with water in the terrarium: it is advisable to change the liquid every two to three days.
Probably every creature on earth has its own zest. The horns on the head of a horned snake make it very entertaining. You can even try to keep such a snake in captivity. This is not difficult if you know about the housing that will be convenient for the snake and about its habits.
U North American Indians Huron tribe had a legend about a huge snake named Oniont. This serpent had a horn that could pierce a stone. Anyone who was lucky enough to find even the slightest piece of this horn could use it to cure any disease.
Horned snakes appear frequently in Celtic art. They are most often depicted with two ram horns rather than one. The cauldron from Gundrestrup is engraved with Cernunnos (Lord of Animals) holding a snake with ram's horns by the neck. The horned serpent was very important element Celtic beliefs. Sometimes he was depicted not only with ram's horns, but also with a ram's head.
Several Babylonian paintings depict a serpent-dragon with the body and head of a snake, lion-like front legs and bird-like hind legs, and a horn located in the center of the nose. This serpent-dragon was called "mushussu" (fierce snake). The Babylonians identified three more types of horned snakes, calling them “musmakhhu”, “usumgallu” and “basmu”.
The one who has learned to work with the energy of the chakras.
Magic properties: cures any ailment.
Lamia
In ancient texts, lamia are mentioned as a species of siren-like creatures. These creatures prefer dry places and live in ruined cities, caves and remote abandoned areas. The lamia had the body and head of a woman and the lower part of a snake. They combed their hair with a golden comb and loved to eat the meat of children. The lamia was swift, powerful and lured the victim into its networks with the help of spells.
In ancient Greek myths, lamia was the name given to several creatures. In one legend, this name was given to a mortal maiden who bore Zeus several children. In another legend, it is a creature with the face of a gorgon who feeds on children. Another legend tells how Hermes transformed a snake with crimson, gold, green and blue spots into a beautiful girl. The happiness of this girl was destroyed by the philosopher Apolonius, she screamed and disappeared.
Catholic Bishop Martin of Braga wrote that lamias lived in rivers and forests and were devils. Johann Weir dedicated an entire book to these creatures, De Lamiis Liber (On the Life of the Lamias), published in 1577.
TO early XVII centuries, the lamia changed its appearance and became a scaly four-legged creature. Her hind legs had hooves and her front legs had claws. She had woman's face and breasts and male penis.
Psychological characteristics: one who deliberately lures victims and gains complete control over them.
Naga
Indian naked, perhaps, are the most amazing magical snakes. They were demigods in nature, children of the goddess Kadru, and usually appeared in the form of a half-snake, half-man (cobra). However, they could take on human form, and females did this much more often than males. Nagas were both water and earth spirits.
Apparently, there were several types of nagas, and each of them had its own characteristic external features and coloring. The body of nagas living in ruins, places with a depressing atmosphere or underground is covered with black scales with crimson stripes. Their faces are similar to humans, they have the same colors of skin, eyes and hair. However, this type of naga is hostile towards humans. They can charm anyone who meets their gaze; They can spit poison, and their bite is also poisonous. You shouldn't expect any help from these nagas.
Other earth nagas are wise, friendly, and guard sacred places or treasures, as well as control their black counterparts. These cobra people can also spit venom, although they do so only for self-defense. They have golden eyes and green and gold scales with silvery triangles along their backs.
The dwellings of the Nagas, who prefer to live in various bodies of water, are located deep under the clean, fresh water of ponds, lakes or rivers. They usually do not interfere in people's affairs, although a sincere request may help gain their help. They are curious about everything that happens to people. Water nagas are the most colorful of all species. The color of their scales ranges from emerald green to turquoise, and the patterns that are often found on them can be deep brown in combination with pale jade to dark gray with olive. The shade of their eyes can vary from pale green to bright amber. Even though their bite and saliva are poisonous, these nagas prefer to resort to magical spells.
Nagas could cause or prevent rain, they had enormous power and wealth, as well as power over all water, including rivers and seas. Myths claim that nagas received their semi-divine status when gods and demons churned the seas to prepare soma, a divine drink. While the gods and demons were fighting for soma, a few drops of this drink fell to the ground. The nagas drank them greedily, but this was not enough to gain strength sufficient for the gods.
It is believed that nagas live in a country that is either under water or underground. The capital of their state and main habitat is in the underground kingdom of Bhagavati (“rich in treasures”), which is probably located deep under the Himalayan mountain system. According to legends, they live there in beautiful houses, decorated with precious stones and metals. The streets of their cities are paved with mosaics of emeralds, rubies, sapphires and other brightly colored gemstones. Nagas also keep books of great mystical knowledge. In the throat or forehead of every naga sparkles gem immeasurable value that gives them their supernatural powers.
Female Nagas are called nagini. These snake women are very beautiful and wise. There are many stories about how they fell in love and married mortal princes. According to Cambodian legend, this country was formed through the union of a nagini and a prince. IN ancient city Angkor images of nagas are everywhere - in sculpture and home decoration. Pairs of nagas guarded the entrances to temples, palaces and tombs, and their seven-headed statues bowed over all who entered.
On the lands adjacent to the palace, back in the 13th century, a golden tower stood. At the top there was a special room where, as it was believed, the king spent every night. The people of Cambodia believed that there lived a nine-headed nagini who ruled the country with the help of a king. If the nagini does not come, the king will die, and if he spends even one night not in the tower, misfortune will befall the country.
In India, nagini is still worshiped to this day - this is Naga Kanya, the goddess of the three kingdoms. She is the keeper of underwater treasures and spiritual achievements. She has upper part the body is female, and the lower one is a water snake. Above her head rises a dome in the shape of a five-headed cobra, symbolizing the spiritual powers of Kanya. She has wings behind her back above her shoulder blades, and a jewel sparkles in her forehead. In her hands, Naga Kanya holds a clam shell, symbolizing her desire to shed blessings on those who seek her wisdom.
Although most nagas may have both good and bad qualities, some of them have accomplished great deeds and achieved enlightenment. Naga Sesha led such a righteous life that the god Brahma granted him immortality. It is believed that Sesha now supports the universe, and on the rings of his curled tail the god Vishnu sleeps in the shadow of his seven heads.
When Buddha was born, the nagas sprinkled him with fragrant Naga Kanya water. After Buddha achieved enlightenment, he remained in a state of meditation for several weeks. His great piety attracted Naga Muchalinda (sometimes called Musilinda), a many-headed cobra. Muchalinda surrounded the Buddha with the rings of his body and sheltered him from the storms with his huge hood so that the Buddha could meditate calmly and nothing would disturb him.
After the death of Buddha, one of the tombs built to honor his memory ended up in the land of the nagas.
At least one type of naga is not kind to humans. The demon Naga-Sanniya causes nightmares associated with snakes.
Some tribes living in India consider themselves descendants of the Nagas and pay respect to their ancestors by leaving sacrifices on the banks of certain ponds and rivers. In Indian mythology, snakes are associated with the element of Water and the seas. It is also believed that they can bestow upon people they like the ability to become invisible when they enter any water.
In addition, nagas protected doors and thresholds, and also guarded treasures, both physical and spiritual. Doors, thresholds and physical and spiritual treasures are considered dangerous things for unprepared people. The nagas open these places and allow only those they deem worthy and ready to enter.
Psychological characteristics: positive- one who sincerely strives to acquire spiritual treasure. Negative- a person who can use charms to make others do anything, but also has a bad habit of spewing poisonous gossip and rumors.
Magic properties: acquisition of spiritual wealth; a hidden treasure of spiritual search, revealed only to sincere people. If you encounter trouble or complex problems, ask the nagas to help you understand where exactly you have gone astray from the spiritual path. Helpful nagas can sometimes help you find hidden treasures, win contests and lotteries, or receive unexpected money, but their help can only be achieved with sincerity.
HORNED VIPER (Cerastes cerastes) a snake 60-80 cm long, with a thick body and a sharply tapered short tail. One sharp vertical scale sticks out above the eyes. The length of these scales varies greatly. The scales on the sides of the body are smaller than the dorsal ones, strongly keeled and directed obliquely downwards, forming a kind of saw running along each side. The color of the horned viper is sandy yellow with dark brown spots along the back and on both sides of the body. This snake inhabits the entire Sahara Desert and the adjacent foothills and dry savannas, as well as the Arabian Peninsula. During the day, the snake burrows into the sand or hides in rodent holes, and at nightfall it goes out to hunt for small rodents and birds. Young individuals feed on locusts and lizards. The horned viper is oviparous; its clutch contains 10-20 eggs. From a clutch of eggs incubated at 28-29°C, the young hatched after 48 days. The horned viper moves in a “sideways motion”, throwing the back half of its body forward and sideways and pulling the front part towards it. In this case, not a single trace remains on the sand, but separate oblique stripes at an angle of 40-60° to the direction of movement, since when “throwing” forward the snake does not touch the ground with the middle of the body, resting only on the front and rear ends of the body. In the process of movement, the snake periodically changes the “working side” of its body, moving forward either with its left or right side.
HORNED RATTER (Crotalus cerastes) differs from its relatives by the presence of a pair of short horns above the eyes. These horns are formed by vertically protruding supraorbital scales. The horned rattlesnake is one of the smallest snakes of this genus; the length of adult individuals reaches only 60 cm. The color of its body is brownish-sandy, with a chain of alternating dark and white spots along the ridge. Smaller dark spots are scattered on the sides. The general background color of the horned rattlesnake harmonizes perfectly with the grayish-yellow sandy substrate. This snake inhabits the dry and hot deserts of Northwestern Mexico, Western Arizona, Eastern California and Southern Nevada.
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RHINO VIPER (Bitis nasicornis) This snake is noticeably smaller than the Gabon viper, its length does not exceed 1.2 m. The tip of the muzzle is decorated with two or three long pointed scales that stick out vertically above the nostrils. The thick, short body is covered with an effective pattern. The black arrow-shaped pattern on the head is edged with a light yellow stripe, and the sides of the head are bright blue. Along the back are double blue trapezoids, outlined in yellow and connected by black diamonds. On the sides, black triangles alternate with large green diamonds bordered by a narrow red stripe. She lives in humid tropical forests Equatorial Africa, from Western Kenya to Cameroon. It lives in damp, swampy places along the banks of forest rivers and streams, and willingly enters the water. The variegated coloration hides this snake well among the bright greenery of lush vegetation against the background of red-brown soil and fallen leaves.
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The Complete Encyclopedia of Mythological Creatures. Story. Origin. Magical properties of Conway Dinna
Horned serpent
Horned serpent
The North American Indians of the Huron tribe had a legend about a huge snake named Oniont. This serpent had a horn that could pierce a stone. Anyone who was lucky enough to find even the slightest piece of this horn could use it to cure any disease.
Horned snakes appear frequently in Celtic art. They are most often depicted with two ram horns rather than one. The cauldron from Gundrestrup is engraved with Cernunnos (Lord of Animals) holding a snake with ram's horns by the neck. The horned serpent was a very important element of Celtic beliefs. Sometimes he was depicted not only with ram's horns, but also with a ram's head.
Several Babylonian paintings depict a serpent-dragon with the body and head of a snake, lion-like front legs and bird-like hind legs, and a horn located in the center of the nose. This serpent-dragon was called "mushussu" (fierce snake). The Babylonians identified three more types of horned snakes, calling them “musmakhhu”, “usumgallu” and “basmu”.
Psychological characteristics: one who has learned to work with the energy of the chakras.
Magic properties: cures any ailment.
Celtic Horned Serpent
From the book Big Soviet Encyclopedia(KR) of the author TSB From the book Mythological Dictionary by Archer VadimSerpent Gorynych (Russian) - a character in Russian epics and fairy tales, a flying dragon with several heads spewing fire; representative of evil
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