Why the Dark Mark?

[northsouth17]

No: HPFGUIDX 121597


Hello, all, my first post after a long while lurking!

I was reading through GoF, when I came to the description of the Dark 
Mark, and something that had always bothered me a bit, struck me 
quite strongly - it's rather silly. 

It's a skull with a serpent sticking out of its mouth, which is a 
little bit adolescent in itself, and whatmore, it's made out of 
emerald _stars_! This put me in mind not so much of a symbol of 
horror and evil, as of a somewhat tasteless disco light. 

Have there been any thoughts on what possible meaning the dark mark 
could have? It seems like a fairly prominent Voldemort symbol - his 
followers get it tattooed on themselves! - and yet it seems rather 
tacky. I feel like it should have a story, a meaning of some kind, 
but can't find it, beyond a general representation of Voldemort - 
Death, snake, etc.