Categories: Pomegranate Guide

Pomegranates and the Greek Mythology

The decorations of pomegranate in the home are quite common traditions in Greece. Greece people break a Pomegranate on the ground at the time of auspicious events, such as weddings or New Years or home inauguration, as a first gift for someone.

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The Greek Mythology and Pomegranates

New York (USA), February 16, 2018

The myth of the dark goddess of the Underworld, Persephone also features the pomegranate notably. Greek mythology says that Hades abducted Persephone. He took her off to be his wife and live in underworld.

Demeter, Persephone’s mother, goddess of the Harvest, mourned for her lost daughter. With the effect, all the green things stopped to grow on Earth. To save the Earth, Zeus sought Hades to give Persephone back.

The rule of the Fates said that the person who eats food or drink in the Underworld was destined to spend eternity there. Though Persephone ate nothing, Hades made her eat six pomegranate seeds. Thus, she was doomed to spend six months in Underworld in a year.

Now for the six months, when Persephone sits on the throne of Underworld with her husband Hades, her mother Demeter mourns. This time, the earth has no fertility. Thus, the ancient Greek tradition explains the seasons.

The pomegranate also invokes the existence of Aegean Triple Goddess who developed into the Olympian Hera. Olympian Hera is at times symbolized offering the pomegranate.

The Mythographers tell us that chambered pomegranate is also an alternate for the narcotic capsule. On the Mycenaean seal, the Goddess of the double-headed ax has three poppy pods in her right hand. She holds up her breast with the left.

The Goddess of the double-headed ax personifies both features of the twin goddess. They are life giving and death dealing.

The Titan Orion symbolizes the “marrying” side. It is the name that is called as Boeotia, which means pomegranate. It sanctifies the aboriginal hunter to the Goddess.

Some other Greek dialects call the pomegranate rhoa. There is a possible connection with the name of Earth Goddess Rhea.

There is an interesting tradition in Greece where people break a pomegranate on the ground at the time of auspicious events, such as weddings or New Years or home inauguration, as a first gift for someone.

At the time of marriage, pomegranate is kept under or near the Ikonostasi or the home altar of the house. It is also a symbol of fertility, abundance, and good luck.

The decorations of pomegranate in the home are quite common traditions in Greece. They are sold in most of the home goods stores.

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Gary Anderson