The snake, curled and content, rests peacefully atop a soapstone plinth.

Folk tales recount the oriental zodiac’s origins with the story of the Great Race, called by the deity the Jade Emperor to assign each year in the 12-year cycle an animal in the order they reached him by crossing a river. First past the post was the Rat, then the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

About the collection
The Snake is the sixth sign of the Chinese zodiac. Those born in the Year of the Snake (1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025) are said to be mysterious, wise and protective of their loved ones.