THE POMEGRANATE TREE
In local dialect “Melagranà”
Punica granatum L.
Lythraceae
The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a plant from the Lythraceae (formerly Punicaceae) family. It is native to the area between Iran and the Himalayas.
It was already known in ancient times in the Caucasus and the Mediterranean region, where it has been cultivated for millennia.
Its Latin name Punica granatum refers to the ancient Phoenician city of Carthage, from which the Romans imported the fruit.
FEATURES OF THE TREE
- Appearance: It is a small-sized tree or bushy shrub
- – Leaves: They have an opposite or sub-opposite arrangement, and they are shiny, compact and elongated
- Blossom: It is deep red in colour, pot- or bell-shaped
The fruit, the pomegranate
- It is a very berry with a very hard peel, round or slightly elongated in shape.
- Inside, there are solid sections called arils.
- Its red seeds are surrounded by translucent pulp, which can range in colour from white to red.
- The taste is sour, sweet and fragrant depending on the edible varieties.
THE POMEGRANATE IN HISTORY AND CULTURE
A Fruit with Over 5000 Years of History
In Greek mythology, the pomegranate was sacred to Demeter, the goddess of fertility and the seasons, and it symbolized growth and wealth.
The Pomegranate in the Jewish Tradition
It was considered a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, as described in the Bible:
Exodus 28, 33-34
“Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them.”
Pomegranates were sewn onto the cloak of the high priest Aaron, alternating with golden bells, to symbolize the holiness and prosperity of Israel.
THE POMEGRANATE IN ART
Many artists used the pomegranate as a symbolic metaphor:
Sandro Botticelli
In his painting Madonna of the Pomegranate, the Virgin Mary holds a pomegranate in her hand. It symbolizes:
Fertility Regality Sacrifice
The hard peel contains the numerous seeds of this fruit, and because of this, it has often been interpreted as a symbol of unity and wealth.
These contents were written and researched by the owners of the SiGi Agricultural Company in collaboration with the students of the Agricultural Technical Institute of Macerata.
If you would like to contribute to expanding the descriptions of these varieties, you can send an e-mail to info@agricolasigi.it
We launched the e-museum of ancient fruits thanks to a social farming project of the Marche region. The translation is by komalingua
This project enabled five young people with cognitive impairments, aged 20 to 25, to work on the farm. They were selected by psychologists and Anffas social workers, supported by the professional educator Il Faro and supervised by UniMc researchers. Coldiretti Marche handled communication and distribution.
This unique and challenging project led to the creation of both a physical and virtual museum of ancient fruits in SiGi’s garden. This is not only a great honor but also a significant commitment that we are willing to continue with everyone’s support. You can contribute to our projects by choosing our products, or you can do so directly here:
