Bibliotheca Herpetologica 15(6)

Murphy, J. C. and M. D. Cardwell 2021.  Avoiding Envenomation While Dancing with Rattlesnakes, the Hopi Snake Ritual and Tobacco. Bibliotheca Herpetologica 15(6):46–60. Published May 13, 2021. This paper discusses how knowledge of the Hopi snake dance reached the Euro-American public in the late 19th century and why it attracted the attention of scientists. Additionally, we provide a hypothesis on how the Hopi snake dancers may have reduced the risk of envenomation from rattlesnakes handled during the ceremony.