Patent frenzy!

The Ouroboros is a universal symbol. This iconic depiction of a serpent eating its own tail has been interpreted and re-interpreted by a diverse array of cultures, from Egypt, India, and Japan to the Aztecs and Native Americans. Had the ancient Egyptians filed for a patent with the U.S. Patent Office for the method of drawing said symbol, they'd probably have spent the next several centuries in court pursuing intellectual property infringement claims. Then again, many would argue that the U.S. Patent Office itself has become an Ouroboros.