What staff with intertwined snakes is associated with Hermes?

The staff with intertwined snakes associated with Hermes is the caduceus.

In Greek mythology, the caduceus was Hermes’ heraldic staff, commonly shown with two serpents winding around a central rod and, in many depictions, a pair of wings at the top. As messenger of the gods, Hermes carried it as a sign of diplomacy, communication and protected heralds. The Roman god Mercury carried the same emblem.

One traditional story says Apollo gave Hermes the staff after Hermes invented the lyre and exchanged it with him. Other myths explain the entwined snakes as a symbol of reconciliation: Hermes separates two fighting serpents, and their balanced arrangement becomes associated with peace and negotiation.

The caduceus is often mistaken for the Rod of Asclepius. The distinction is important: Asclepius’ healing rod has one snake and normally no wings, whereas the caduceus has two snakes and is Hermes’ symbol. Its frequent modern use in medical logos, particularly in the United States, reflects a later symbolic confusion rather than its original classical meaning.