In ancient Greek mystery cults, the "cista mystica" seems to have contained a live serpent, as represented on numerous images, including coins on which a cista is represented as half-open, with a serpent creeping out of it.
In ancient Greek mystery cults, the "cista mystica" seem to have contained a live serpent. The mysterious secret can also be half revealed by numerous pictures, and by the coins called CISTOPHORUS; on these the cista is represented as half open, with a serpent creeping out of it.