Snake in Turkish folklore

?Snake? symbol, from mythological telling to folkloric ones, has appeared in every space of our daily life.Thus, this thesis aims to expose the position of Snake symbol in Turkish folklore, which symbolizes folkloric elements related to concepts such as having mysterious power, eternity, immortality, reincarnation, health, and fear, in order to collect and analyze the folkloric materials related to snake motif, to research the variants-if there are any-, and to put conclusion about it. Also, by comparing and contrasting the status of snake in Turkish and world mythologies, its similar and different aspects are aimed to be clear.It is possible to meet many products related to snake in Turkish folklore. Interestingly, while some of them represent snake positively, others take it in opposition. On the other hand, snake has been subject to verses and proses in anonymous work in the field of literature. Snake has taken place in sagas, memorates, legends, fables, proverbs, idioms, Turkish folk poems, riddles, malediction, individual works, epics, and folk beliefs. In the context of this study, I have scanned written and oral materials in order to determine the position of snake in these products. While scanning the material, I have tried to strain systematically for comparing and contrasting the similar and different features of snake.Contrary to negative aspects, Snake figure in Anatolia and other Turkish lands has been used as representing motives such as antidote, revival, and recovery. Also, Snake used as material for sorcery and fortune has been associated with ancestral cult as home possessor.Snake motive in decorative arts of Turkish folk culture has been integrated with dragon with the effect of Chinese and Iran cultures.Keywords:1. Folklore2. Snake3. Dragon4. Universe5. Mythology