Citizendia
Your Ad Here

For the medical symbol often mistakenly referred to as a caduceus, see Rod of Asclepius. The rod of Asclepius (also known as the rod of Asklepios, rod of Aesculapius or asklepian) is an ancient Greek Symbol associated
The Caduceus
The Caduceus

The caduceus (/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. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and Serpent is a word of Latin origin (from serpens serpentis "something that creeps snake" that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or A helix (pl helixes or helices) from the Greek word έλιξ, is a special kind of Space curve, i 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. Astrological symbols are images used in various astrological systems to denote relevant objects Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Iconography is the branch of Art history which studies the identification description and the interpretation of the content of images Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and

The caduceus has come to be used as a symbol for medicine, especially in North America, by confusion with the traditional medical symbol, the rod of Asclepius, which has only a single snake and no wings. Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the The rod of Asclepius (also known as the rod of Asklepios, rod of Aesculapius or asklepian) is an ancient Greek Symbol associated

Contents

Origin

The distant origin of the symbol adopted by the Greeks was Mesopotamian, as has been known since the discovery of Gudea's green steatite libation vase of c. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding Gudea was a ruler ( ensi) of the city of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who ruled ca 2144-24 BCE from Lagash, conserved at the Musée du Louvre;[1] it represents the serpent-god Ningishzida, messenger of the goddess Ishtar and awakener of vegetation after the annual killing drought. Lagash ( is modern Tell al-Hiba, Iraq. Located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre located in Paris is the world's most visited art museum a historic monument and a national museum of France Serpent is a word of Latin origin (from serpens serpentis "something that creeps snake" that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or Ningishzida ( sum dnin-ǧiš-zi-da) is a Mesopotamian deity of the Underworld. A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities Ishtar ( D IŠTAR 𒀭𒌋𒁯 is the Assyrian and Babylonian counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to

Hermes hastens bearing his kerykeion, on an Attic lekythos, ca 480-470 BC, attributed to the Tithonos Painter
Hermes hastens bearing his kerykeion, on an Attic lekythos, ca 480-470 BC, attributed to the Tithonos Painter

Among the Greeks it was originally a herald's staff, sometime surmounted with wings, with two white fillets of wool attached to it. Attica (Αττική Attikí;) is a periphery (subdivision in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece A lekythos (plural lekythoi) is a type of Greek pottery used for storing oil especially olive oil A herald, or more correctly a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between Pursuivant and King of arms. [2] The view of Karl Otfried Müller,[3] that the ribbons eventually "evolved into" snakes, was held for several generations of conservative mythographers, though Jane Ellen Harrison[4] correctly detected that Hermes had originated in snake-form and that the snakes were essential to the caduceus, even though she was unaware of the Near Eastern connections. Karl Otfried Müller ( August 28, 1797 &ndash August 1, 1840) was a German scholar and Philodorian, or admirer of ancient A mythographer, or a mythologist, according to a strict dictionary definition is a compiler of myths Mythography (from Greek μυθογραφία Jane Ellen Harrison ( September 9, 1850 &ndash April 5, 1928) was a ground-breaking British classical scholar linguist [5]

The Greek myth of origin of the staff is part of the story of Tiresias,[6] who found two snakes copulating and killed the female with his staff. Etiology (alternatively aetiology, aitiology) is the study of causation. Everes redirects here For the Butterfly Genus, see Everes (genus. Tiresias was immediately turned into a woman, and so remained until he was able to repeat the act with the male snake seven years later. This staff later came in to the possession of the god Hermes, along with its transformative powers.

In Rome, Livy refers to the caduceator who negotiated peace arrangements under the diplomatic protection of the caduceus he carried. Titus Livius (traditionally 59 BC &ndash AD 17 known as Livy in English, was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome

Meaning

The meaning, purpose, and esoteric meaning of the caduceus can often be interpreted from the sum of its parts. The staff (particularly the herald's staff) was a symbol of authority carried in the hands of messengers. The winged quality of the wand of Hermes is in keeping with the alchemical or astrological importance of Mercury (whether taken to mean the planet, god, and element), quite often denoting fluidity, transformation, information, and new beginnings (as the elemental quarter of air is often likened to). Alchemy a part of the Occult Tradition is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems "Alipes" redirects here For the Centipede Genus, see Alipes (centipede. Mercury (ˈmɜrkjʊri also called quicksilver or hydrargyrum, is a Chemical element with the symbol Hg ( Latinized hydrargyrum The snake is often depicted in non Judeo-Christian traditions as a source or deliverer of wisdom. Judeo-Christian (or Judaeo-Christian, sometimes written as Judæo-Christian) is a term used to describe the body of concepts and values which are thought to be held In Gnosticism the serpent represents Sophia or the manifestation of principles of the feminine divine (or Shekinah in the Judaism or Kabbalah). Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Sophia (Σoφíα Greek for " Wisdom " is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, Shekhinah (- alternative transliterations Shekinah, Shechinah, Shekina, Shechina, Schechinah, שכינה) is the English Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Note that the snakes are bound to each other in a double helix - a shape of stability, creation, and life (notably, the shape of the DNA); coincidentally this follows the arrangement that the King Cobras snake takes: fighting upright and face to face, trying to force the other to submit for sexual rights. In Geometry a double helix (plural helices) typically consists of two congruent helices with the same axis differing by a translation Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known

In this it can be seen that the caduceus represents the authority to quickly deliver vital information or wisdom to aid, assist and enlighten. It is no surprise then that the caduceus is used by a variety of professions who have a connection with Hermes or Mercury in his traditional roles as the god of commerce, eloquence, invention, travel and thievery. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer Eloquence (from Latin eloquentia) is fluent forcible elegant or persuasive Speaking in public. An invention is a new form composition of matter device or Process. Travel is the change in location of people on a trip through the means of Transport from one location to another Contemporary users of this symbol include merchants, journalists, and postal workers. Merchants function as professionals who deal with Trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves in order to produce Profit. A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends A postal worker is one who works for a Post office, such as a Mail carrier

In the Hermetic tradition, the caduceus is a symbol of spiritual awakening, and has been likened to the Kundalini serpents of Hindu mysticism. Hermeticism is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs based primarily upon the writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, who is put forth as a Religious Experience (also known as a spiritual, Sacred, or mystical experience is an altered state of consciousness where an Kundalini (kuṇḍalinī sa कुण्डलिनी Sanskrit, literally "coiled" A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity

Variations

In some vase paintings ancient depictions of the Greek kerykeion are radically different from the modern representation (illustration, top right). These representations feature the two snakes atop the staff (rod), crossed to create a circle with the heads of the snakes resembling horns. This old graphic form, with an additional crossbar to the staff, has become the typographical Mercury-sign widely used in astrological and alchemistic contexts for centuries. "Alipes" redirects here For the Centipede Genus, see Alipes (centipede. Another simplified variant of the caduceus is to be found in dictionaries, indicating “commercial term”: the staff with two winglets attached, the snakes omitted (or reduced to a small ring in the middle).

Two caduceuses without wings above a door in Ztracená street, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Two caduceuses without wings above a door in Ztracená street, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Confusion with the rod of Asclepius

Main article: Rod of Asclepius

The caduceus is sometimes used as a symbol for medicine or doctors (instead of the rod of Asclepius) even though there is no connection with Hippocrates or the Greeks;[7] its singularly inappropriate connotations of theft and commerce have provided fodder for academic humor. Olomouc (ˈolomoʊ̯ts ( local Haná dialect Olomóc or Holomóc, German Olmütz, Polish Ołomuniec, Latin The rod of Asclepius (also known as the rod of Asklepios, rod of Aesculapius or asklepian) is an ancient Greek Symbol associated The rod of Asclepius (also known as the rod of Asklepios, rod of Aesculapius or asklepian) is an ancient Greek Symbol associated Hippocrates of Cos II or Hippokrates of Kos ( ca. 460 BC – ca [8] A 1992 survey of American health organisations found that 62% of professional associations used the rod of Asclepius, whereas in commercial organisations, 76% used the caduceus. [9]

The first recorded use of the caduceus in a medical context was in the printer's vignette used by Johann Frobenius, who used the staff entwined with serpents, not winged but surmounted by doves, with the biblical epigraph "Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves"[10] A silver caduceus presented to Caius College, Cambridge by John Caius and carried before him on the cushion he supplied in official visits to the college remains in the College's possession. Johann Froben, in Latin: Johannes Frobenius ( Hammelburg, Franconia, circa 1460 — Basel, 27 October 1527) was a Gonville and Caius College Cambridge is a constituent College of Cambridge University, one of the world's most academically respected institutions John Caius ( October 6, 1510 - July 29, 1573) was an English Physician, and second founder of the present Gonville [11] Early confusion between the symbols almost certainly arose due to the links between alchemy and Hermes, whose symbol is the caduceus. Alchemy a part of the Occult Tradition is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and The alchemists adopted the caduceus because Hermes, the God of Messengers, was also the patron lord of gamblers, thieves, tricksters and alchemists. By the end of the 16th century, alchemy became widely associated with medicine in some areas, leading to some use of the caduceus as a medical symbol. [6]

The main reason for the confusion over the medical use of the caduceus occurred in the United States in the 19th century, with its use by the United States Army, made official in 1902. [12] It had appeared on the chevrons of Army hospital stewards as early as 1856. [13] This was brought about by one Captain Reynolds,[14] who after having the idea rejected several times by the Surgeon General, persuaded the new incumbent —Brig. This article is about the senior physician in the US Army For the head of the U Gen. William H. Forwood — to adopt it. William Henry Forwood ( September 7, 1838 - May 12, 1915) was a surgeon from Brandywine Hundred Delaware, who served in the Union The inconsistency was noticed several years later by the librarian to the Surgeon General, but was not changed. The Library of the Surgeon General's Office, later called the Army Medical Library, was the institutional medical literature repository of the U [12] In 1901 the French periodical of military medicine was named La Caducée. The caduceus was formally adopted by the Medical Department of the United States Army in 1902. The Army Medical Department of the US Army, known as the AMEDD, comprises the six medical Special Branches of the Army The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. [12] After World War I the caduceus was employed as an emblem by both the Army Medical Department and the Navy Hospital Corps. Hospital Corpsman (HM is a rating in the United States Navy and a member of the Navy's Hospital Corps

There was further confusion caused by the use of the caduceus as a printer's mark (as Hermes was the god of eloquence and messengers), which appeared in many medical textbooks as a printing mark, although subsequently mistaken for a medical symbol. [12]

Examples of usage

Standard representation

There are three Unicode representations of the caduceus: U+2624 (☤) on the Miscellaneous Symbols table, U+263F (☿: the astrological form) and U+269A (⚚: the lexicographical form), all in the same range. In Computing, Unicode is an Industry standard allowing Computers to consistently represent and manipulate text expressed in most of the world's The Miscellaneous Symbols plane of Unicode (2600–26FF contains various glyphs representing things from a variety of categories Astrological, Astronomical

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The identification of the symbol as the origin of the caduceus was made by William Hayes Ward, The Seal Cylinders of Western Asia (Washington: Carnegie Institution) 1910, and expanded upon by Frothingham 1916, who pointed out that the symbol was the god, and pointed out the carefully-rendered bark on the staff in Gudea's vase in the Louvre. Hospital Corpsman (HM is a rating in the United States Navy and a member of the Navy's Hospital Corps Gudea was a ruler ( ensi) of the city of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who ruled ca
  2. ^ Such wisps of unspun wool figured in many Greek cultic rites
  3. ^ In Müller, Archäologie der Kunst :504. This article discusses cult in the original and typically ancient sense of "religious practice" (cultus
  4. ^ Harrison, Themis pp 266, 294, 297. , etc.
  5. ^ A. L. Frothingham, "Babylonian Origin of Hermes the Snake-God, and of the Caduceus— I" American Journal of Archaeology 20. 2 (Apil 1916):175-211) p 179.
  6. ^ a b Blayney, Keith (September 2002). The Caduceus vs the Staff of Asclepius. Retrieved on 2007-06-15. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history
  7. ^ Bernice S. Engle, "The Use of Mercury's Caduceus as a Medical Emblem", The Classical Journal 25. 3 (December 1929:204-208).
  8. ^ As in Stuart L. Tyson, "The Caduceus", The Scientific Monthly 34. 6 (June 1932:492-498).
  9. ^ Friedlander, Walter J (1992). The Golden Wand of Medicine: A History of the Caduceus symbol in medicine. Greenwood Press.  
  10. ^ Matthew 10:16
  11. ^ Engle 1929:204f.
  12. ^ a b c d Wilcox, Robert A; Whitham, Emma M (15 April 2003). "The symbol of modern medicine: why one snake is more than two". Annals of Internal Medicine.  
  13. ^ Lt. -Col. Fielding H. Garrison, "The use of the caduceus in the insignia of the Army medical officer," Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 9 (1919-20:13-16), noted by Engle 1929:204 note 2.
  14. ^ Engle 1929:207 states, however, "The use of the caduceus in our army I believe to be due chiefly to the late Colonel Hoff, who has emphasized the suitability of the caduceus as an emblem of neutrality. "

Further reading

External links

The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc

Dictionary

caduceus

-noun

  1. A symbol consisting of a staff with two snakes wrapped around it; symbol of medicine in America.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic