Pomegranate. Archaeology, History and Symbolism

n many cultures, pomegranate is prominent in numerous myths about different human lives and aspirations. Zoroastrians have planted this tree in their homes as a blessing. In Greek mythol- ogy, it was an irrevocable symbol of marriage. In Persian mythology, Esfandiar (a King in ancient Persia) ate a pomegranate and became invincible. In Judaism, the number of pomegranate seeds in a conduit is 613, one for each of the 613 Bible commands. Buddhists consider pomegranate to be one of the three blessed fruits. In Chinese ceramics, pomegranate is associated with fertility, abundance, countless and passionate children, and a blessed future. In the Christian and Bedouin tribes, it is asso- ciated with fertility. In Islam, the Qur’an describes a heavenly paradise that contains pomegranates. From its origin (Persia) in the region now occupied by Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, etc., the pomegranate spread east to India, China, and also west to the Mediterranean countries like Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey. The ability of pomegranate trees to adjust to variable cli- matic conditions is reflected in the wide distribution of the wild forms throughout Eurasia to the Himalayas. It is now widely cultivated in subtropical and tropical areas in many variable climatic conditions in different countries, indicating its flexibility and adaptability to a wide range of climate and biogeography.