POMEGRANATES AND GRENADES
Dr. Zoltán Grossman, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz
Punica granatum
“Phoenician Apple”
(Phoenicians grew for
religious purposes)
Pomum + granatus
(Latin) = Seeded Apples
Punica granatum
Fruit-bearing deciduous
shrub or small tree
Can live up to 200 years
(most fruitful <15 years)
Native habitat
Eastern Iran, Afghanistan, Northern Pakistan/India
Historical records’ back to 3000 BC; Ancient cultivation
throughout the Mediterranean and Caucasus regions
Flower and fruit
Bright red (balaustine) flowers
Red 5-12 cm fruit
(or white, purple)
Calyx “crown” at base
How to process
Cut off calyx, lightly score leathery rind
Gently tear apart (no deep cuts or violent tears)
Soak in water briefly, take apart underwater to avoid splattering
Gently separate arils (sink) from white membrane (floats)
Calyx
Arils
~600 seeds
encased in arils
(casings with
edible pulp)
Ancient Egypt
King Tut buried with pomegranates
Rmn root of modern names in Hebrew (rimmon),
Arabic (ramman), Portuguese (romã)
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Ancient Greeks
Myth of Persephone
(goddess of the underworld)
Hades kidnaps her and takes
her to the underworld
(have to stay if drink or eat)
Her mother Demeter (goddess of
harvest) halts all plant growth;
Zeus orders Persephone’s return
Hades tricks Persephone into
eating four pomegranate seeds
This is the reason for four barren
winter months
Symbol of Fertility
Olympian goddess Hare
(Aegean triple goddess)
offers pomegranate
Rhea (earth goddess)
Greek rodi
Often symbol of life (birth) and
death (blood) at same time
Mentioned in
Homer’s
Odyssey
Symbol of Love
Aphrodite or Venus
(goddess of love)
Roman god Juno
holds fruit as symbol
of marriage
Brides wore
pomegranate twigs
in their wreaths
Judaism
Moses: One of 7 fruits blessing
ancient Israel
Pillars of King Solomon’s temple
Calyx design of King’s crown
Images oven into High Priest robes
Torah scroll handles
(“613 seeds” = 613 mitzvot / commandments)
Christianity
Eve tempted by pomegranate
(not apple) in Garden of Eden?
Symbolizes:
God’s love
Suffering and resurrection
Blood of martyrs
Unity of Christians in church
contained by priest (rind)
Madonna of
the Pomegranate
Sandro
Botticelli (1487)
Madonna of
the Pomegranate
Sandro
Botticelli (1487)
Islam
Favorite of the
Prophet Mohammad
Associated with the
gardens of paradise
Global Spread
Mild semi-arid (Mediterranean) and
dry subtropical climate regions
Drought tolerant
Now in Southeast Asia,
Latin America, California
Two-month shelf life in fridge
Harvesting
Pomegranates
in Iran
Persian (Iranian) Cuisine
Fessanjan (chicken with walnut)
Ash-e Anar (walnut soup)
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Coins for
good health on
Zoroastrian
Nowruz
(New Year)
Turkish and Levant Cuisine
Marinate meat
Salad dressings
Pomegranate tabouli
Muhammara (red pepper, walnut,
garlic spread)
Greek Cuisine
Fruit at weddings for fertility
Housewarming gift
Kollivozoumi (wheat soup)
Salad with feta and
pomegranate vinaigrette
Kolliva (cake at funerals)
South Asian Cuisine
Dried seeds used as spice
Curd rice
Dadhojanam (Telugu dish)
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Latin American Cuisine
Mexico: Symbol of red bar on flag
in national dish chiles en nogada
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East Asian
Cuisine and
Cultures
Bonsai
Papaya
Favorite recipes
Pomegranate-Pistachio Pilaf
Cream cheese valentine
Global production
1200
18th most
popular fruit;
growing in
popularity
1000
800
600
millions
of tons
400
200
0
India
Iran
USA
Turkey Spain
Israel
California
Spanish introduced, 1769
Grown mainly in San Joaquin Valley
Processed mainly for juice
Nutrients
Vitamin C (100 ml=16% daily)
Vitamin B5 (pantothtic acid)
Potassium
Iron
Folic acids
Antioxidants (polyphenols)
Health benefits to perhaps reduce…
Heart disease risk factors
Systolic blood pressure
Dental plaque bacteria
Breast cancer cell proliferation
Possibly prostate or
colon cancer cells,
other diseases studied
Pomegranate
juice
Used in Middle Eastern,
South Asian cooking
Used as a natural dye
Marketed in U.S.
and Canada
aggressively
since 2002….
Modern products
190 new
products, 2005
Soda
Vodka
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Wine
Salsa
Salad dressing
Soap/cream
Shampoo
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Grenades
French grenadiers named
grenade after pomegranate
in 1530s, at first because of
common shape
Later because
shrapnel resembled
pomegranate seeds
City of Granada,
Spain
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Grenadine
syrup
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
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Garnets
Reddish gem
Pomegranate = Grenade
Hebrew
rimmon
French
grenade
Spanish
granada
Italian
granata
Polish
granata
Russian
granata
Similar in many
other languages…
Bosnia
Iraq
Afghanistan
U.S. invasion and occupation, October 2001
Kandahar largest city in southern Pashtun-speaking region
Pomegranate groves along Arghandar River in Kandahar province
Afghanistan
Economic development in
Pashtun-speaking heartland of th
Taliban
Encourage crop exports to win
support, replace opium crop
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Grenade
machine gun
in Afghanistan
www.defenseindustrydaily.com
Artist Barbara Koenen noticed
that the recent, very aggressive
marketing and rising popularity
of pomegranates as “the newest
life-saving food” paralleled the
declaration, escalation, and
aggressive marketing of the
“War on Terror.”
Marketing
Pomegranates
and War
Barbara Koenen
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Muse: Hypotheses on Pomegranates and the War on Terror
(Finestra Art Space, Chicago, August 2008)
Power [Consumption + Fertility] /
Style [Aggression + Conformity]
x .5 (Recognition/Denial)] =
War (on Terror).
“Grenade
Cozies”
For more information
Julia Morton, Fruits of Warm Climates (1987)
Hans Biedermann, Dictionary of Symbolism
Wilson Popenoe, Manual of Tropical and
Subtropical Fruits (1920/1974)
Pomegranate Planet www.planet-pomegranate.com/
Pomegranate Council www.pomegranates.org
Pomegranate Fruit Facts
www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html
Barbara Koenen www.barbarakoenen.com
www.finestraartspace.com
Pomegranate & Grenades Poem
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/pompoem.html