History Tells Us the Pomegranate Love Story
The pomegranate love story began thousands of years ago, possibly as early as 3500BC. It is thought to be one of the very first fruits ever cultivated and grown on the earth and from there, it has been seen in early drawings and artwork, referred to in writings, and even carved in stone on buildings and temples.
Legends and stories of the pomegranate fruit and its powers have been told and passed down for generations. The pomegranate is the symbol of fertility in some countries and an aphrodisiac in others. What exactly does this fruit represent?
The Pomegranate Love Story or Legend
Greek mythology tells the legend of Persephone, a goddess kidnapped by evil King Haides and taken to the underworld so he could make her his wife. Persephone's mother pleaded with Zeus to force Haides to release her daughter and he was successful.
There was a catch however – Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds during her imprisonment, and that very act forced her to return to underworld once a year for several months. Legend says that Persephone eating the pom fruit caused the changing of the seasons – when she goes to the underworld it means death or winter, and when she returns home it means spring or new life has arrived.
Pomegranate Was Used by Shakespeare
Shakespeare used the symbolism of a pomegranate tree in Romeo and Juliet to represent true love, forbidden love, and sweet innocence between Romeo and Juliet.
King Solomon's CrownThe Hebrew Bible mentions the pomegranate fruit many times. Pomegranate images were carved into King Solomon's temple and the very shape of his royal crown was allegedly shaped like the crown of a pomegranate fruit.
The Judaic traditions use this fruit to indicate honor, excellent judgment or discernment, beauty, righteousness, and multiplying of children.
The Song of Solomon
The book of the Bible, Song of Solomon, is one of the most beautiful depictions of passionate love between a man and wife and in that book, pomegranates are mentioned!
Interesting Facts About The Fruit of Life
- Pomegranate fruit first appeared in Iran and is thought to be native to that country and parts of India before spreading to the rest of the world over many years
- This beautiful red fruit was highly valued in Egypt and was the fruit that pharaohs ate – in fact, drawings on the inside of tombs depicted this very thing
- Did you know that the famous King Tut had a vase with pomegranates on it sent with him after his death?
- Eating the fruit, according to legend, gives you special powers and an irresistible allure
- Enhances sexual desire and libido – a natural aphrodisiac
- The Persian religion, Zoroastrianism, believed the pom fruit was a symbol of eternal life
- Eleonora di Toledo, the wife of the ruler of Tuscany, Italy, wore a dress with pomegranate fruit designs to indicate her important and lofty role as the mother to seven sons.
The pomegranate love story has many more facets, but you can see here just a glimpse of how this amazing fruit has impacted history over thousands of years.
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Amazing Pomegranate Health Benefits
