FMA symbol/array

[ooh-zoo-mah-kee]

I heard that the symbol that Ed and Al wear( the serpent on the cross) mean/represent something and I am wondering if anybody can tell me what it means.

[babbitblob]

this is now called a flamel

Nicholas Flamel studied alchemy long ago, and that was the image he ended up with.

[blackwinry]

erm... i heard somewhere that the cross is supposed to represent life, and the serpent death, and an oath not to use alchemy to kill or something