An Ode to the Mythical Pomegranate

We love traditions that carry meaning, especially as connected to nature and seasonal changes. The pomegranate, technically classified as a berry, carries heavy symbolism in many cultures, including Greek. Beyond its connection to health and prosperity, the pomegranate is also deeply connected to one of the most significant Greek myths. Beyond its symbolism, pomegranate arils (the juicy part that contains the seed) and the seeds themselves are highly nutritious, notably packing a punch of immune-boosting antioxidants.

Greek traditions

In Greece, pomegranates are commonly gifted and used as decor. They start appearing in the late fall, typically around the presentation of the Virgin Mary on November 21. Throughout the holidays and leading up to the new year, pomegranates are used as decor in many Greek homes. It all culminates with a fun, albeit potentially messy tradition on New Year’s Day when many Greeks smash a pomegranate open for good luck. (Aside: what is it with us Greeks and smashing things). Less messy is the oft-gifted ρόδι, a pomegranate made of glass, metal, or sculpted, as a gift. This is supposed to bring good luck, γούρι, in the new year.

Connection to the myth of Persephone:

As we explored in a past workshop on the Persephone myth, the pomegranate plays a pivotal role in one of the most important myths from Greek mythology, the abduction of Persephone and her binding to the underwood. It also explains how we may have found our association of the pomegranate with life, regeneration, and even marriage. 

If you’re not familiar with the myth of Persephone, we’ll share a shortened version. Essentially, Persephone, aka the Kore, was out in the meadows one day. When she innocently bent to look at a flower, Hades abducted her to the underworld. As the daughter of the Goddess of Harvest Demeter, Persephone’s absence wreaked havoc on Earth, as Demeter’s mourning and tears meant that earth ceased the blossom. Realizing that something had to give for the mortals, Hades agreed to give Persephone back, but he had a sneaky plan up his sleeves. When Demeter came to rescue her miserable daughter, Hades had just given her a pomegranate to eat. By eating from his fruit, she bound herself to him in marriage and told Demeter she had to stay forever.

The gods intervened, and according to a popular version of the myth, that’s why Hades agreed to keep Persephone in the underworld for part of the year, given that she didn’t eat the entire fruit. An agreement was made that Persephone would spend part of the year on earth, during which her mother would allow the plants to create life, notably for the people’s harvest. While she descends to the underwood, the myth holds that we mortals experience winter. 

 The myth is tied not only to how we have our seasons and harvests, but also the loss of innocence and symbolic “underworld” of our own psyches. The compromise for Persephone to spend part of the year with Hades meant she was no longer the “kore,” or virginal maiden, now that she was married to him. The pomegranate sealed her fate as a wife. 

It’s worth noting that Persephone and Demeter’s story is one of the most significant in terms of the rites and ceremonies it inspired. Notably, the myth inspired the Mysteries at Eleusis, initiation rites that were some of the most sacred and important of all of antiquity. Many famous Greeks were initiated at Eleusis, including Plato. 

Health benefits of pomegranates 

More than just a festival symbol of good fortune and prosperity, pomegranates also pack a punch of antioxidants. We love them for what’s inside just as much as their pretty exterior. 

You’ll want to open up that pomegranate to access all the goodness inside: pomegranate juice has been found to have more antioxidant activity than red wine and green tea. You can thank unique plant compounds known as punicalagins for that. One cup of pomegranate seeds also boasts 7 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, potassium, and over 30% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamins C and K. 

In summary…

We hope that this holiday season, whether you’re gifting a ρόδι or making a cocktail with pomegranate seeds, you’ll enjoy ordering the mythical meaning and significance of this sacred fruit.