Abubakr al-Razi, also known as Rhazes in Latin, was an Iranian physician, philosopher, and alchemist who lived during the Islamic Golden Age. He is recognized as one of the most prominent figures in the history of medicine. I designed an illustration of al-Razi for a contest held by the al-Razi Museum in Turkey. In this illustration, al-Razi is depicted as a goblet encircled by a serpent. The image was inspired by the symbols of pharmacy, where the serpent and goblet are recognized as its emblems. However, why are the serpent and goblet recognized as the emblems of the pharmacy?
In ancient Iran, the serpent was recognized as a symbol of life and health, and the goblet was also regarded as a symbol of friendship. Therefore, these two symbols were used in pharmacies to remind people that the primary goal of the pharmacy is to maintain health and friendship with patients