The pomegranate with its abundance of juicy ruby seeds   its vibrant   sweet tart flavor jewel like beauty is surrounded by mystery and symbolism. The fruit that flourishes thought-out the Middle East, Central Asia Mediterranean countries is derived from Latin word ‘granatis” meaning seed of grain. The Greeks named granatis the gem called garnet is named as a gift of love that is continually inviting.

The pomegranate symbol of rightness, fertility and abundance   is a specific symbol of spring. It alluded to the classical myth of Persephone daughter of the Demeter   goddess of the harvest.   . Myth states that Persephone was abducted by Hades brother of Demeter who fell in love with her and wanted to make her his bride in the Underworld. Hades asked  Zeus his brother  to help him.abduct Persephone.   Together they decided on a plan to trap her and one day when Persephone was playing with her maiden friends 

 In the Valle of Enna where “spring reigns perpetual” she came across a ‘Cosmic flower”. As soon as she plucked it  the earth underneath open and Hades stole her Underground .to is his queen. Her mother Demeter was consumed with grief   and rage and went into mourning for the loss of her daughter during which all vegetation ceased to grow. She pleaded with Zeus that her daughter be returned to her. Zeus   the highest ranking of the gods then ordered   Hades to return Persephone to earth as long as she had not eaten any food in Hell   Thus Hades tricked Persephone into eating six pomegranate seeds while he was still holding her captive and because of this she was condemned to spend six months of the year in the underworld. During these six months while she’s Queen beside Hades in the Underworld her mother goes into mourning and no longer makes things grow on the earth thus the explanation for winter. The reemergence of Persephone each year ushering the abundance of growth of fruit and vegetation causing Persephone and the pomegranate to forever be linked to the emergence of spring

The pomegranate is also linked to the Crucifixation and Easter thus representing the Resurrection. Revival of Nature. And Immortality. . After his Death Christ too like Persephone was said to have descended into Hell to defeat Evil and unsure life after Death for Humanity. The pomegranate is also associated to Christ himself and its red juice is also associated with the blood Christ his suffering on the Cross and his sacrifice he gave up for Humanity    It’s seeds are also meant to represent the church and its many congregations . The Pomegranate may also represent The Virgin Mary and its precious seeds the gifts Mary offered and her Holy Son to mankind.  In Renaissance Paintings

The Madonna and Child are often seen holding a pomegranate to represent the Universal Church this symbol is also used as a reference to the Passion of Christ and blood he shed for mankind. . Since the blood of Christ is the food for eternal life thus drinking seeds of pomegranate is also to drink the blood of life.

 The pomegranate is still religiously significant in the Old Testament as the only tree allowed in the Sanctity of the Temple the Holy of Holies. The reason for this choice was that this fruit was never eaten by insects and therefore became a symbol of incorruptibility  The Pomegranate become a symbol of romance and beauty associated with King Solomon courting Queen Sheba and singing to her of orchards of pomegranate   It is said that  He ordered pomegranate trees to be planted in her garden.  Moreover in Jewish tradition the pomegranates are a symbol of prosperity  The Bible refers to Moses and his assurance to the Israelites that they would find pomegranate in the Promised Land /

In Art in particular the Tapestries and the Unicorn of Fountain created around 1500 the pomegranate alluding to the myth of Persephone the pomegranate is used as an instrument through which water is brought from the underworlds to the surface of the earth to fertilize   and feed the earth.   In the Temple of Solomon the Temple was suppose to symbolize the human body:

“Wherein the candidate must enter to be born again... The uterus and vagina represents the porch of the Temple , the pillars of the porch represent the fallopian tubes, the network, the broad ligament with its accompanying blood vessel…. and the pomegranate the ovary, and its exuberant seeds, the ova cells. (Rollin C. Blackmer The Lodge and the Craft: A Practical Explanation of the Work of Freemasonry  1923, pg 249

The phalluses symbol attached to the pomegranate is due to the fact that it burst almost entirely of seeds and it was also believed to produced itself prodigiously therefore commonly associated with female genitalia and fertility

 

Rosa Arlotto

February 4, 2007

 

 

 

The pomegranate with its abundance of juicy ruby seeds   its vibrant   sweet tart flavor jewel like beauty is surrounded by mystery and symbolism. The fruit that flourishes thought-out the Middle East, Central Asia Mediterranean countries is derived from Latin word ‘granatis” meaning seed of grain. The Greeks named granatis the gem called garnet is named as a gift of love that is continually inviting.

The pomegranate symbol of rightness, fertility and abundance   is a specific symbol of spring. It alluded to the classical myth of Persephone daughter of the Demeter   goddess of the harvest.   . Myth states that Persephone was abducted by Hades brother of Demeter who fell in love with her and wanted to make her his bride in the Underworld. Hades asked  Zeus his brother  to help him.abduct Persephone.   Together they decided on a plan to trap her and one day when Persephone was playing with her maiden friends 

 In the Valle of Enna where “spring reigns perpetual” she came across a ‘Cosmic flower”. As soon as she plucked it  the earth underneath open and Hades stole her Underground .to is his queen. Her mother Demeter was consumed with grief   and rage and went into mourning for the loss of her daughter during which all vegetation ceased to grow. She pleaded with Zeus that her daughter be returned to her. Zeus   the highest ranking of the gods then ordered   Hades to return Persephone to earth as long as she had not eaten any food in Hell   Thus Hades tricked Persephone into eating six pomegranate seeds while he was still holding her captive and because of this she was condemned to spend six months of the year in the underworld. During these six months while she’s Queen beside Hades in the Underworld her mother goes into mourning and no longer makes things grow on the earth thus the explanation for winter. The reemergence of Persephone each year ushering the abundance of growth of fruit and vegetation causing Persephone and the pomegranate to forever be linked to the emergence of spring

The pomegranate is also linked to the Crucifixation and Easter thus representing the Resurrection. Revival of Nature. And Immortality. . After his Death Christ too like Persephone was said to have descended into Hell to defeat Evil and unsure life after Death for Humanity. The pomegranate is also associated to Christ himself and its red juice is also associated with the blood Christ his suffering on the Cross and his sacrifice he gave up for Humanity    It’s seeds are also meant to represent the church and its many congregations . The Pomegranate may also represent The Virgin Mary and its precious seeds the gifts Mary offered and her Holy Son to mankind.  In Renaissance Paintings

The Madonna and Child are often seen holding a pomegranate to represent the Universal Church this symbol is also used as a reference to the Passion of Christ and blood he shed for mankind. . Since the blood of Christ is the food for eternal life thus drinking seeds of pomegranate is also to drink the blood of life.

 The pomegranate is still religiously significant in the Old Testament as the only tree allowed in the Sanctity of the Temple the Holy of Holies. The reason for this choice was that this fruit was never eaten by insects and therefore became a symbol of incorruptibility  The Pomegranate become a symbol of romance and beauty associated with King Solomon courting Queen Sheba and singing to her of orchards of pomegranate   It is said that  He ordered pomegranate trees to be planted in her garden.  Moreover in Jewish tradition the pomegranates are a symbol of prosperity  The Bible refers to Moses and his assurance to the Israelites that they would find pomegranate in the Promised Land /

In Art in particular the Tapestries and the Unicorn of Fountain created around 1500 the pomegranate alluding to the myth of Persephone the pomegranate is used as an instrument through which water is brought from the underworlds to the surface of the earth to fertilize   and feed the earth.   In the Temple of Solomon the Temple was suppose to symbolize the human body:

“Wherein the candidate must enter to be born again... The uterus and vagina represents the porch of the Temple , the pillars of the porch represent the fallopian tubes, the network, the broad ligament with its accompanying blood vessel…. and the pomegranate the ovary, and its exuberant seeds, the ova cells. (Rollin C. Blackmer The Lodge and the Craft: A Practical Explanation of the Work of Freemasonry  1923, pg 249

The phalluses symbol attached to the pomegranate is due to the fact that it burst almost entirely of seeds and it was also believed to produced itself prodigiously therefore commonly associated with female genitalia and fertility

 

Rosa Arlotto

February 4, 2007