The Avesta says the snake is a wicked animal because Ahriman, the evil spirit, created it. So, the ancient Zoroastrians hated snakes and killed them wherever they saw them.

Today, more than 60 species of snake live in Iran including this Persian ratsnake named E. Persica .

Some snakes are poisonous and some are not. This Elamite clay beaker from 4000 BC shows an Echis carinatus. This snake is a native of Iran. It lives in the desert, it can grow up to three feet in length, and it is very poisonous.

Not all snakes are poisonous, however. In fact, most are not. Snake is a very useful animal. It kills rodents and other pests, and this way it can prevent disease by eliminating the carriers of harmful germs.

The Elamites who established a great civilization in the southwestern Iran respected the snake. The Elamites thought snakes had magical powers. Thus the Elamite kings always wore a snake-shaped crown.