Plaster replica of a Greek statue

Made:
1860-1920
Plaster replica of a Greek statue, depicts head of Hygeia

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Plaster replica of a Greek statue, depicts head of Hygeia
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Plaster replica of a Greek statue, depicts head of Hygeia, original from Temple of Asklepios (Asclepius; Latin: Aesculapius), Athens, 4th century BC, cast 1860-1920

Hygieia (also referred to as Hygeia or Hygiea) was the daughter of Asclepius, Greek god of healing and medicine. She often join is father and she is considered goddess of health, cleanliness and sanitation. The modern word ‘hygiene’ derives from the name of the goddess herself. Her symbol was the Bowl of Hygeia, which featured another snake. Since its first apparition on a coin by the Parisian Society of Pharmacy in 1796, the Bowl of Hygeia has been adopted by various pharmaceutical companies in the world and is a cup or chalice with a snake coiled around its stem.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A655525
Materials:
plaster
type:
statue, replica and component - object
credit:
Gillieran, M.