Symbolism of the serpent in Health Sciences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31052/1853.1180.v15.n1.7013Keywords:
caduceus, panacea, pole, walking stick, symbolAbstract
Humanity comes to our days after having gone through different stages. Separated by great distances, time, myths and customs, in almost every culture of the ancient world, deities were paramount and, accompanied by ophidians were related to life, health, fertility or longevity.
From the point of view of the historian of Medicine, we introduce ourselves in a topic of cultural anthropology, in a summarized attempt to explain the existence of the serpent in the caduceus of Health Sciences.
Asian people used to venerate the cobra, Africans the python; Australian aborigines venerated the rainbow snake and American aborigines, the rattlesnake.
Druids, Navajos and Chinese people, as well as Brahmins and Apaches erected temples to honor the serpent goddess. The serpent became a symbol of wisdom, wealth, prudence, strength, health, convalescence, longevity, rejuvenation and immortality.
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Copyright (c) 2014 Escuela de Salud Pública y Ambiente. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
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