The discovery of Chirons cave a prehistoric school of medicine for animals and humans

摘要

Chiron the centaur, mythical inventor of medicine for animals and humans, and emblem of numerous veterinary associations worldwide, is possibly an historic personality of the prehomeric period (ca 1300 B.C.) Only 600 to 700 years later did the legend form that centaurs (in antique Greek: “hunters on horseback of the wild bull”) were wild creatures, half horse and half man, and associated with uncontrolled libido and its socially destructive forces. According to tradition, literary as well as folkloric, Chiron taught his medicine to the ruling class of his time in a specially prepared cave in the Pelion Mountains (=the healing mountains) of Eastern Thessalia. Following leads from ancient authors and local traditions, a cave fitting the location and description was discovered in 1981 by the senior author. Details about its location, and observations about its surroundings, including ancient and modern place names indicate once more that Chiron, the centaur, stands for an historic personality.