caduceus

     

The cauceus (/kəˈduːsiəs/, -ʃəs, -ˈdjuː-; kerykeion in Greek) or Wand of Hermes is typically depicted as a short herald's staff entwined by two serpents in the form of a double helix, and sometimes surmounted by wings. In later Antiquity the caduceus was an astrological symbol of commerce and in Roman iconography was often depicted being carried in the left hand of Greek god Hermes, the messenger for the gods, conductor of the dead and protector of merchants and thieves.

Trivia about caduceus

  • One tale of its origin says that the blind seer Tiresias separated 2 snakes with his staff
  • This symbol of the physician is derived from the wand of Aesculapius, the god of medicine
  • It's the (medical) symbol seen here
  • This ancient winged staff featuring 2 intertwined snakes is now the symbol of the U.S. Army Medical Corps
  • Both the staff of Asclepius & this staff of Mercury feature snakes & are symbols of the medical profession
  • Now an emblem of the medical profession, it was the staff carried by mercury
  • According to legend, Hermes traded a lyre to Apollo for this snake-wrapped stick
  • The emblem of the Surgeon General bears a white anchor & this traditional symbol of Hermes

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