To the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt, serpents represented a primordial force, a link to supernatural magic which had to be both respected and feared. Snakes could be either beneficent or dangerous, and many legends developed around this creature. There was the serpent of the cosmic sea, serpents that swallowed the sun in order to recreate it, and others who devoured their own tails to link up the eternal chain of life. Snake-like manifestations of the creator-god were described, and fate was represented as a serpent in city temples. When worn as an amulet, the serpent would protect the wearer from unlucky twists of fate, and dangers that were otherwise beyond human control.