Rod of Asclepius

The Rod of Asclepius is an ancient Greek symbol associated with medicine. It consists of a serpent entwined around a staff. Asclepius was the god of healing in the ancient Greek pantheon. He was instructed in medicine by the centaur Chiron.

The Rod of Asclepius symbolizes the healing arts by combining the serpent, which in shedding its skin is a symbol of rebirth and fertility, with the staff, a simple tool.

A similar symbol, Nehushtan, is mentioned in the Bible as having been used for healing of snakebite.

The Rod of Asclepius is frequently confused with the caduceus, which is a symbol of commerce associated with the god Hermes.

See Also

• Blayney, Keith. The Caduceus vs the Staff of Asclepius, found at http://drblayney.com/Asclepius.html