In some South Slavic villages there was a custom known as ''Chasing the Serpent''.

A serpent was believed to hold the waters of the clouds, resulting in a drought, so the men would organize a ''banishment''.

Is that a remnant of something ancient? :

Of course it is. The men would carry out a procession during the night, from the east to the west end of the village, during which they would symbolically slay the serpent. Then they would wash themselves in flowing water. The end of the custom is marked by the rising sun.

The serpent holding the waters represents the ancestor, the waters are the collective genetic wisdom & they are also the waters that ''break'' upon childbirth - when the serpent releases the waters, it marks a symbolic & literal birth.

The custom is begun from the east to the west side of the village, because the sun rises (is born) from the east & sets (dies) in the west - this solar cycle is an avatar of rebirth & eternity in itself.

The men wash in the waters & emerge clean, this too, is a symbol of reincarnation/birth, they ''leave the amniotic waters''. Entering or drinking from ''a spring of wisdom'' is of course also a mythic way of obtaining, or rather Remembering knowledge.

The custom ends with the sunrise - the men are (re)born alongside the light of sun. They have ''killed'' the serpent/ancestor, who also represents the placenta (call it a placenta cult, i dare you) , they have washed themselves/obtained wisdom/left the amniotic waters.

As you see, a lot of seemingly superstitious customs (or ones that degraded to superstition) hold primordial meaning & are thoroughly symbolic in their nature.

Thank you for reading.

PS : It would be worthy to mention that 'killing the serpent' also symbolizes the cutting of the umbilical cord upon birth.

I apologize for not including it in the original thread.

Thanks to @VlkVelesa for mentioning it to me.