The Celtic Horned Serpent
European Grass Snake (similar to the North American Garter snake)
Interestingly, the Slavs/Balts weren't the only culture to revere the grass snake. In fact, most European cultures did, with some mythology of a luck, wealth, health and prosperity bringing serpent, that usually had some distinction about it's appearance. The idea of 'kingship' in IE cultures is conveyed by something worn on or about the head – a crown, a torc (often referred to as a ring, but it not to be confused with a finger-ring), or in many cases, by the head sprouting a pair of antlers or horns. This concept is most apparent in the form of the Gaulish god Cernunnos, who is a is portrayed as an antlered man. In almost all cases, he is also portrayed wearing a torc, holding a torc in one hand (or having torcs hanging from his antlers, or more rarely, his bull horns), and holding a serpent – also with horns on it's head, and sometimes also wearing a torc – in the other.
There are myths all across Europe of a crowned, horned, or torc-wearing serpent. AND Europe has 2 different species of snakes that actually have yellow and black 'collars' around their necks as part of their natural markings. One is the Aesculapian ratsnake, in which the juveniles have a light yellow collar around their necks, with a dark 'shadow' collar behind it, but this is lost as the snake ages. The other species is the aforementioned Grass snake, which has a pair of bright white or golden yellow crescent shapes that start at the top of the neck and wrap around the sides, which is immediately followed by a solid black 'shadow' collar. These markings really do look like horns, or a torc around the neck of the snake. In fact, in German speaking countries, they are called Ringelnattern – meaning Ringed snakes. The ring in this case is again, the torc, not to be confused with finger-rings.
Considering the size of the snakes held in the images/statues of Cernunnos, it is quite likely that they are actually representations of juvenile Aesculapian ratsnakes, and grass snakes.
Interestingly, the Slavs/Balts weren't the only culture to revere the grass snake. In fact, most European cultures did, with some mythology of a luck, wealth, health and prosperity bringing serpent, that usually had some distinction about it's appearance. The idea of 'kingship' in IE cultures is conveyed by something worn on or about the head – a crown, a torc (often referred to as a ring, but it not to be confused with a finger-ring), or in many cases, by the head sprouting a pair of antlers or horns. This concept is most apparent in the form of the Gaulish god Cernunnos, who is a is portrayed as an antlered man. In almost all cases, he is also portrayed wearing a torc, holding a torc in one hand (or having torcs hanging from his antlers, or more rarely, his bull horns), and holding a serpent – also with horns on it's head, and sometimes also wearing a torc – in the other.
There are myths all across Europe of a crowned, horned, or torc-wearing serpent. AND Europe has 2 different species of snakes that actually have yellow and black 'collars' around their necks as part of their natural markings. One is the Aesculapian ratsnake, in which the juveniles have a light yellow collar around their necks, with a dark 'shadow' collar behind it, but this is lost as the snake ages. The other species is the aforementioned Grass snake, which has a pair of bright white or golden yellow crescent shapes that start at the top of the neck and wrap around the sides, which is immediately followed by a solid black 'shadow' collar. These markings really do look like horns, or a torc around the neck of the snake. In fact, in German speaking countries, they are called Ringelnattern – meaning Ringed snakes. The ring in this case is again, the torc, not to be confused with finger-rings.
Considering the size of the snakes held in the images/statues of Cernunnos, it is quite likely that they are actually representations of juvenile Aesculapian ratsnakes, and grass snakes.