Apples appear in many religious traditions, often as a mystical fruit and in Christianity as a forbidden fruit. Binomial name Borkh. ... Major world religions have been distinguished from minor religions using a variety of methods, though any such division naturally reflects a particular bias, since many adherent of a religion are likely to consider their own faith major. Two methods are mentioned in this article, number of adherents and the definitions... In the Bible, the forbidden fruit is the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. ...

One of the problems identifying apples in religion, mythology and folktales is that the word "apple" was used as a generic term for all (foreign) fruit, other than berries but including nuts, as late as the 17th C. CE. For instance, when tomatoes were introduced into Europe they were called "love apples", in one Old English work cucumbers are called eorþæppla, (lit. "earth-apples') in some languages (such as French and Dutch) potatoes are still called "earth-apples", and in some languages oranges are called "golden apples" or "Chinese apples". The word mythology (from the Greek μυολογία mythología, from μυολογείν mythologein to relate myths, from μύος mythos, meaning a narrative, and λόγος logos, meaning speech or argument) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events and... Folklore is the ethnographic concept of the tales, legends, or superstitions current among a particular ethnic population, a part of the oral history of a particular culture. ... Binomial name Solanum lycopersicum L. Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Binomial name L. The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. ... Binomial name Solanum tuberosum L. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, commonly grown for its starchy tuber. ... Binomial name (L.) Osbeck Orange—specifically, sweet orange—refers to the citrus tree Citrus sinensis (syn. ...

Two Young Men
In this painting modern interpreters have viewed the apple alternately as an ironic twist on Christian symbology intended by the painter as a sexual innuendo between two men [1], or as a memento mori [2].
Crispin van den Broeck (Dutch), ca. 1590; Oil on panel; Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

Ethnobotanical and ethnomycological scholars such as R. Gordon Wasson , Carl Ruck and Clark Heinrich write that the mythological apple is a symbolic substitution for the entheogenic Amanita muscaria (or fly agaric) mushroom. The fly agaric mushrooms forms a mycorrhizal relationship with its tree host. As such it can be considered, like the apple, a fruit of the tree. As it grows on the tree's roots it resembles an apple that has fallen from the tree. Like a ripe apple is golden red, the fly agaric cap is red, turning to gold when dried. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Image File history File links Two_Young_Men,_Crispin_van_den_Broeck. ... Image File history File links Two_Young_Men,_Crispin_van_den_Broeck. ... Earthly Vanity and Divine Salvation by Hans Memling. ... Two Young Men Crispin van den Broeck (Dutch), ca. ... Geography Status City (1951) Region East of England Admin. ... Ethnobotany is the study of the relationship between plants and people: Fromethno - study of people and botany - study of plants. ... Ethnomycology is the study of the historical uses and sociological impact of fungi, most specifically psychoactive mushrooms such as Amanita muscaria and those containing psilocybin, and can be considered a branch of both mycology and anthropology. ... R. Gordon Wasson (September 22, 1898 – December 23, 1986) was an author, amateur researcher and banker. ... Carl A. P. Ruck is a professor in the Classical Studies department at Boston University. ... This entry covers entheogens in the strict sense of the word (i. ... Binomial name Amanita muscaria (Linnaeus) Hook. ... A mycorrhiza (typically seen in the plural form mycorrhizae meaning fungus roots) is a distinct type of root symbiosis in which individual hyphae extending from the mycelium of a fungus colonize the roots of a host plant. ...

At times artists would co-opt the apple, as well as other religious symbology, whether for ironic effect or as a stock element of symbolic vocabulary. Thus, secular art as well made use of the apple as symbol of love and sexuality. It is often an attribute associated with Venus who is shown holding it. Marble Venus of the Capitoline Venus type, Roman (British Museum) Venus was a major Roman goddess principally associated with love and beauty, the rough equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. ...

It is sometimes claimed that the use of the pentacle as a symbol in traditional romany faith comes from ceremonially cutting an apple across the hemisphere, revealing a pentagram of pips ringed with green. Romany (or Romani) relates to: The Roma: a people sometimes pejoratively called Gypsies. Their language Romany was the pseudonym of a broadcaster and writer of Roma descent, George Bramwell Evens. ...

Apples in the Bible

Adam and Eve
A classic depiction of the biblical tale showcasing the apple as a symbol of sin.
Albrecht Dürer, 1507; Oil on panel; 209 x 81 cm (per panel); Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid.[3].

Though the forbidden fruit in the book of Genesis is not identified, popular Christian tradition has held that it was an apple that Eve coaxed Adam to share with her. This may have been the result of Renaissance painters adding elements of Greek mythology into biblical scenes. In this case the unnamed fruit of Eden became an apple under the influence of story of the golden apples in the Garden of Hesperides. As a result, in the story of Adam and Eve the apple became a symbol for knowledge, immortality, temptation, the fall of man into sin, and sin itself. In Latin, the words for 'apple' and for 'evil' are similar in the singular (malus — apple, malum — evil) and identical in the plural (mala). This may also have influenced the apple becoming interpreted as the biblical 'forbidden fruit', although the word malus for apple comes from the Hittite mahla meaning "grapevine, branch" and has nothing to do with malum. The larynx in the human throat has been called Adam's apple because of a notion that it was caused by the forbidden fruit sticking in the throat of Adam. Download high resolution version (552x700, 58 KB)Adam and Eve by Albrecht Durer (1507) given by Christina of Sweden to King Philip IV in 1654. ... Download high resolution version (552x700, 58 KB)Adam and Eve by Albrecht Durer (1507) given by Christina of Sweden to King Philip IV in 1654. ... Albrecht Dürer (pronounced /al. ... Motto: De Madrid al Cielo (From Madrid to Heaven) Location Coordinates: Country Spain Autonomous Community Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid Province Madrid Administrative Divisions 21 Neighborhoods 127 Founded 9th century Government  - Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón (PP) Area  - Land 607 km² (234. ... Genesis (Hebrew: , Greek: Γένεσις, meaning birth, creation, cause, beginning, source or origin) is the first book of the Torah, the Tanakh, and the Old Testament. ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... The Renaissance (French for rebirth, or Rinascimento in Italian), was a cultural movement in Italy (and in Europe in general) that began in the late Middle Ages, and spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... // Eden may refer to: Garden of Eden, an original meaning, a place east of Eden described in Book of Genesis. ... // The Golden apple is an element that appears in some countries legends or fairy tales. ... For the ancient Greek city Hesperides see Benghazi. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... In religion and ethics, evil refers to morally or ethically objectionable thought, speech, or action; behavior or thought which is hateful, cruel, violent, or devoid of conscience. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library of Congress. ... Hittite can refer to either: The ancient Anatolian people called the Hittites; or The Hittite language, an ancient Indo-European language they spoke. ... Voicebox redirects here. ... For other uses, see Adams apple (disambiguation). ...

The notion of the apple as a symbol of sin is reflected in artistic renderings of the fall from Eden. When held in Adam's hand, the apple symbolises sin. However, when Christ is portrayed holding an apple, he represents the Second Adam who brings life. This also reflects the evolution of the symbol in Christianity. In the Old Testament the apple was significant of the fall of man; in the New Testament it is an emblem of the redemption from that fall, and as such is also represented in pictures of the Madonna and Infant Jesus. Christ is the English of the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... John 21:1 Jesus Appears to His Disciples--Alessandro Mantovani: the Vatican, Rome. ... Virgin and Child Surrounded by Angels (c. ... This article is about the figure known by both Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ. For other usages, see Jesus (disambiguation). ...

In some versions (such as Young's Literal Translation) of the Bible the Hebrew word for mandrakes dudaim (Genesis 30:14) is translated as "love apples" (not to be confused with the New World tomatoes). The word Hebrew most likely means to cross over, referring to the Semitic people crossing over the Euphrates River. ... Species Mandragora autumnalis Mandragora officinarum Mandragora turcomanica Mandragora caulescens “Mandrake root” redirects here. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ...

There are several instances in the Old Testament where the apple is used in a more favourable light. The phrase 'the apple of your eye' comes from verses in Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8 Proverbs 7:2, and Zechariah 2:8 implying an object or person greatly valued. In Proverbs 25:11, the verse states, "a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver". In the love songs of the Song of Solomon, the apple is used in a sensual context. In these latter instances the apple is used as a symbol for beauty. The apple appears again in Joel 1:12 in a verse with a sense of profound loss when the apple tree withers. The Book of Proverbs is one of the books of the Ketuvim of the Tanakh and of the Writings of the Old Testament. ... For other uses, see Song of Solomon (disambiguation). ...

Apples in other mythology

The Greek hero Heracles, as a part of his Twelve Labours, was required to travel to the Garden of the Hesperides and pick the golden apples off the Tree of Life growing at its center. // Greek mythological characters (Most of the gods and goddesses had Roman equivalents. ... Hercules, a Roman bronze (Louvre Museum) For other uses, see Heracles (disambiguation). ... Hercules, a Roman bronze (Louvre Museum) For other uses, see Heracles (disambiguation). ... The Tree-of-Life is a fictional plant (the ancestor of yams, with similar appearance and taste) in Larry Nivens Known Space universe, for which all Hominids have an in-built genetic craving. ...

The Greek goddess of discord, Eris, became disgruntled after she was excluded from the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. In retaliation, she tossed a golden apple inscribed Kallisti ('For the most beautiful one'), into the wedding party. Three goddesses claimed the apple: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Paris of Troy was appointed to select the recipient. After being bribed by both Hera and Athena, Aphrodite tempted him with the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta. He awarded the apple to Aphrodite, thus indirectly causing the Trojan War. Eris (ca. ... Peleus consigns Achilles to Chirons care, white-ground lekythos by the Edinburgh Painter, ca. ... This article is about the Greek sea nymph. ... Kallisti is a word from the Greek language. ... In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera, (Greek , IPA pronunciation ; or Here in Ionic and in Homer) was the wife and older sister of Zeus. ... Helmeted Athena, of the Velletri type. ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 Aphrodite (Greek: Ἀφροδίτη; Latin: Venus) (IPA: English: , Ancient Greek: , Modern Greek: ) is the classical Greek goddess of love, lust, and beauty. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... Helen. ... Sparta (Doric: Spártā, Attic: Spártē) is a city in southern Greece. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ...

Atalanta, also of Greek mythology, raced all her suitors in an attempt to avoid marriage. She outran all but Hippomenes (a.k.a. Melanion, a name possibly derived from melon the Greek word for both "apple" and fruit in general), who defeated her by cunning, not speed. Hippomenes knew that he could not win in a fair race, so he used three golden apples (gifts of Venus, the Goddess of love) to distract Atalanta. It took all three apples and all of his speed, but Hippomenes was finally successful, winning the race and Atalanta's hand. {{dablItalic textInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereink|For other meanings, see Atalanta (disambiguation). ... Atalanta and Hippomenes, Guido Reni, c. ... In Greek mythology, Hippomenes, also known as Melanion, was the husband of Atalanta. ... Adjectives: Venusian or (rarely) Cytherean Atmosphere Surface pressure: 9. ...

In Norse mythology, the goddess Iðunn was the appointed keeper of golden apples that kept the Æsir young (or immortal) forever. Iðunn was abducted by Þjazi the giant, who used Loki to lure Iðunn and her apples out of Ásgarðr. The Æsir began to age without Iðunn's apples, so they coerced Loki into rescuing her. After borrowing Freyja's falcon skin, Loki liberated Iðunn from Þjazi by transforming her into a nut for the flight back. Þjazi gave chase in the form of an eagle, where upon reaching Ásgarðr he was set aflame by a bonfire lit by the Æsir. With the return of Iðunn's apples, the Æsir regained their lost youth. Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Idun and the Apples (1890) by J. Doyle Penrose. ... In Old Norse, the Æsir (singular Ás, feminine Ásynja, feminine plural Ásynjur, Anglo-Saxon Ós, from Proto-Germanic *Ansuz) are the principal gods of the pantheon of Norse mythology. ... This article is about living for infinite period of time. ... Iðunn is carried off by Þjazi in this artwork by H. Theaker, 1920 In Norse mythology, Thiazi (Old Norse: Þjazi) was a giant who kidnapped the goddess Iðunn. ... The giants Fafner and Fasolt seize Freyja in Arthur Rackhams illustration to Richard Wagners version of the Norse myths. ... It has been suggested that Loki and the dwarfs be merged into this article or section. ... In Norse mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: Ásgarður) is the realm of the gods, the Æsir, thought to be separate from the realm of the mortals, Midgard. ... Freya, in an illustration to Wagners operas by Arthur Rackham. ...

Celtic mythology includes a story about Conle who receives an apple which feeds him for a year but also gives him an irresistible desire for fairyland.^{[citation needed]} Template:Buttface mythology Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism annas hippo butt, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. ... A character in a story in Celtic Mythology. ... Álfheim (Old Norse Álfheimr Elf-home) is the abode of the Álfar Elves in Norse mythology and appears also in northern English ballads under the forms Elfhame and Elphame, sometimes modernized as Elfland or Elfenland. ...

Fairy tales

Apples feature frequently in fairy tales. The most well known example is Snow White, in which a poisonous apple puts Snow White to sleep. In Le piacevoli notti (The Facetious Nights [4]) of Giovanni Francesco Straparola apples appear in four stories. A fairy tale is a story, either told to children or as if told to children, concerning the adventures of mythical characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and others. ... Snow White in her coffin, Theodor Hosemann, 1852. ... Giovanni Francesco (or Gianfrancesco) Straparola (c. ...

References

1. ^ Wasson, R. Gordon (1968). Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality. ISBN 0-15-683800-1. 
2. ^ Ruck, Carl; Blaise Daniel Staples, Clark Heinrich (2001). The Apples of Apollo, Pagan and Christian Mysteries of the Eucharist. Durham: Carolina Academic Press, 64-70. ISBN 0-89089-924-X. 
3. ^ Heinrich, Clark (2002). Magic Mushrooms in Religion and Alchemy. Rochester: Park Street Press, 64-70. ISBN 0-89281-997-9.