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Figure above:

Wooden statue of the XIV century, from the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Granato (“Our Lady of the Pomegranate”), Capaccio, Salerno, Italy.
The building seems to date back to the middle of the X century, and was constructed by the inhabitants of Paestum, after their town had been destroyed by Saracens. In the same territory, at the mouth of the river Sele, since the VI century B.C., stood a temple (Heraion) dedicated to the goddess Hera of Argos, who protected the sailors and promoted fertility. An adjacent building, into which numerous loom weights have been found, has suggested that this place was utilized temporarily by groups of girls of marriageable age, who dedicated themselves to weaving a peplum for the goddess statue, which was ritually offered every year with a solemn procession. Here has been discovered a marble statue of the goddess Hera, holding a pomegranate in her hand. The continuity between the ancient goddess of fertility and the figure of the Virgin, who also holds in her hand a pomegranate is undeniable.

[Image: https://madonnadelgranato.wordpress.com/madonna-del-granato/]

Figure below:

Marble statuette of the V century B.C., from the sanctuary of Argive Hera near the mouth of the Sele river, now in the Paestum Museum, Salerno, Italy. The statue shows the goddess Hera sitting on a throne, holding in her hands a patera (offering plate) and a pomegranate.

[Image: http://magnagrece.blogspot.it/2013/08/feast-of-madonna-del-granato.html]




Female Symbols

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Figure above: Wooden statue of the XIV century, from the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Granato (“Our Lady of the Pomegranate”), Capaccio, Salerno, Italy. The building seems to date back to the middle of the X century, and was constructed by the inhabitants of Paestum, after their town had been destroyed by Saracens. In the same territory, at the mouth of the river Sele, since the VI century B.C., stood a temple (Heraion) dedicated to the goddess Hera of Argos, who protected the sailors and promoted fertility. An adjacent building, into which numerous loom weights have been found, has suggested that this place was utilized temporarily by groups of girls of marriageable age, who dedicated themselves to weaving a peplum for the goddess statue, which was ritually offered every year with a solemn procession. Here has been discovered a marble statue of the goddess Hera, holding a pomegranate in her hand. The continuity between the ancient goddess of fertility and the figure of the Virgin, who also holds in her hand a pomegranate is undeniable. [Image: https://madonnadelgranato.wordpress.com/madonna-del-granato/] Figure below: Marble statuette of the V century B.C., from the sanctuary of Argive Hera near the mouth of the Sele river, now in the Paestum Museum, Salerno, Italy. The statue shows the goddess Hera sitting on a throne, holding in her hands a patera (offering plate) and a pomegranate. [Image: http://magnagrece.blogspot.it/2013/08/feast-of-madonna-del-granato.html]