One of the things modern audiences also don’t realize is how important snake symbolism was to ancient cultures … with the prominent exception of Zoroastrianism. In that “new style” religion of Persia, it was considered a good deed to kill snakes!.. Any snakes.
The rest of the ANE, while being vigilant about snakes, found that they helped keep the rodent population in check - - cats, for the most part, not yet being widely domesticated. In Egypt, even as domesticated cats became common place, the ancient reverence for snakes is maintained - - as we can see by the presence of the Cobra on the Pharaoh’s headwear!
It would only be in latter-day Jewish and Christian writings would such sentiments continue to be dispensed against the wise and immortal icon of the fertility of life!
Gen 3:14-15
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall crush thy head, and thou shalt bruise his/her heel.