---
title: Caduceus
author: The Trustees of the British Museum
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5987/caduceus/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Caduceus
_Authored by The Trustees of the British Museum_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/5987.jpg)
## Image Caption
Sard gem engraved with a winged caduceus combined with a club. [Heka](https://www.worldhistory.org/Heka/), the patron [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) of magic and [medicine](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/medicine/) in [Egypt](https://www.worldhistory.org/egypt/) was said to have killed two [serpents](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Serpents/) and entwined them on a staff as a symbol of his power; this symbol of the medical arts passed to the Greeks and on to the present day. One sees the symbol of Heka in modified form, now known as the caduceus, regularly in doctor's offices as the symbol of [Hippocrates](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hippocrates/), father of medicine.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Museum, T. T. o. t. B. (2016, October 31). Caduceus. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Museum, The Trustees of the British. "Caduceus." *World History Encyclopedia*, October 31, 2016. .
### MLA
Museum, The Trustees of the British. "Caduceus." *World History Encyclopedia*, 31 Oct 2016, .
## License & Copyright
© Trustees of the [British Museum](http://www.britishmuseum.org/). Republished under the British Museum [Standard Terms of Use](http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_this_site/terms_of_use.aspx) for non-profit educational purposes. [Original image](http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=930912001&objectId=436190&partId=1) by [**The Trustees of the British Museum**](http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=930912001&objectId=436190&partId=1). Submitted by [Ibolya Horváth](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/horvath.ibolya/ "User Page: Ibolya Horváth"), published on 31 October 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Copyright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright). You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.