Pomegranate: A Global History

Description

Juicy, crunchy, tart: with its multitude of seeds and juice akin to blood, it's not hard to see why the pomegranate has so appealed to the imagination. After being held in high esteem in the rituals of the polytheistic religions of the ancient world, the pomegranate came to be revered in Christianity, Islam and Judaism. This book explores how people throughout history interacted with pomegranates, featuring a cast of well-known characters from the Ashurnasirpal to Anne Boleyn, from Sandro Botticelli to Salvador Dali. It is a cornucopia of strange and fascinating anecdotes about this very special fruit whose health benefits are so highly regarded today.

Damien Stone is an archaeologist based in Sydney, Australia.

"Bursting with taste, this book is a cornucopia of fascinating stories about a very special fruit. It explores how people over the centuries have used pomegranates, and looks at the timeless appeal of this unusual, alluring, and ornamental fruit."-- "Gardening Australia" "Stone's Pomegranate is another volume in Reaktion's popular Edible series, which details the history, culinary uses, and lore of particular foods. Most chapters in this slim history discuss the symbolic role of the pomegranate in myth, religion, and literature from the ancient to medieval world in both Europe and the Middle East. . . . The book is illustrated with images of the pomegranate in art and archaeology throughout history, which provide an excellent accompaniment to the text. Pomegranate is another quality installment in an outstanding series. Recommended."-- "Choice" "This delightful small book encapsulates the significance through history of the juicy, crunchy, tart, and currently oh-so-trendy pomegranate. Popular for thousands of years, they graced tables in ancient Greece, the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Persia and the stories of Arabian folklore in A Thousand and One Nights. Superb photographs and illustrations demonstrate how these fruit were commemorated in the art of diverse cultures. Pomegranate is another in the Edible series from Reaktion Books that celebrates the rich history of cuisine. It's perfect for food, garden, and history nerds."-- "Organic Gardener Magazine"