Pears – Myths and Legends
Description
- In ancient times, the pear tree was sacred to the moon, and later to the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus, whose statue in the Heraion of Mycenae was carved from pear wood.
- It was also sacred to the goddess Athena.
- It was further associated with the goddess Aphrodite and considered an erotic symbol, as the shape of the pear vaguely resembles the female body.
- Until recently, in the canton of Aargau (Switzerland), an apple tree was planted when a boy was born, and a pear tree when a girl was born. It was said that children would either thrive or perish with their tree.
- The white blossom of the pear tree is a symbol of mourning in China.
- Traditionally, the pear tree is associated with the bear, which is greedy for its fruit.
- In many regions of the Apennines, it is still believed that if poisonous mushrooms are cooked together with wild pears, they become edible. Mattioli mentions in his work "Discorsi" that a drink can be brewed from the ash of a pear tree, which is very helpful if one has eaten poisonous mushrooms. Imitation is strictly forbidden!!!
