The Tragedy of Lacoon and the “Snake Detection Hypothesis”

Carved out of marble in the first century CE, this Ancient Roman sculpture is one of the world’s most famous works of art. It showcases a tragic moment in the myth of Lacoon and his sons, when, in revenge for trying to alert the Ancient Trojans about a giant horse armed with secret enemies of the city and thereby attempting to thwart fate, the Gods sent forth serpents to strangle and kill the father with his progeny.

The masterful carving of Lacoon writhing in pain certainly accounts for this statue’s fame, but so too does the primal fear invoked by the snakes. Indeed, “ophidiophobia,” or “fear of snakes” has long been documented as a deep-seeded terror among humans. In fact, some scientists have developed a thesis that this fear is innate, having evolved over the eons among primates who would have gained an edge by their ability to sense and avoid this dangerous predator.

The “snake detection hypothesis” argues that our primate ancestors developed a visual system specifically to see serpents: they argue that in primates, such as ourselves, an area of the brain called the pulvinar region is larger and more effective than in other species. The pulvinar region helps us to see relevant objects. Other studies suggest that we can sense snakes even when doing other perceptual tasks, or even with “blindsight” (part of the unconscious visual processing area). In myths of civilizations around the world, snakes have not always been evil, but they frequently strike at humanity’s sense of mortality.