Idunn is a Norse deity: Keeper of the Apples and provider of Eternal Youth (Blooming Series: Apple Orchard)
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As we can know from old Nordic poems Edda, Idunn is a Goddess of the Norse Mythology, the keeper of apples and granter of eternal youthfulness. Apple trees were the symbol of rebirth and beauty. The Apple tree is scared in Norse mythology. Idunn is the goddess of Spring or rejuvenation and the wife of Bragi, who is the god of Poetry. With her apples, gods remain young and immortal.
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In this old poem it says that the blood of Idunn was elven
In the dales dwells,
the prescient Dís,
from Yggdrasil's
ash sunk down,
of alfen race,
Idun by name,
the youngest of Ivaldi's
elder children
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Below an illustration by one of my all time favourite Illustrators, Swedish John Bauer, portraying Idunn and Loki.
Above: Idunn and Loki by Swedish Illustrator John Bauer, one of my favourites (Public Domain)
Apples... Symbolism is it really "the forbidden" fruit?
Until the XVII century the word "apple" meant simply "fruit" (except for berries)
The Forbidden Fruit that in the Bible represents temptation and the fall of man and sin as the apple is often a symbol of love and "sexuality" something that somehow was "maligned" a warning against "Earthly" desires. We all know what happened in Eden (wink) The tale says the The larynx in human's throats is the malign fruit stuck in his throat. The word apple comes from greek "melon" (general for fruit) but in latin it was similar to malum (evil) and that was the curse for this otherwise delicious gift of Nature. Even Snowhite falls prey of a poisoned apple. It was in the XII century where it was established that "The Evil Fruit" was in fact an "apple"
The actual scientific name of apples is "Malus pumila" (how unfair)
The Love goddess Venus is often represented holding an apple.
We all know the Greek myth of the Golden Apple of Discord which was tossed to the "prettiest" Goddess creating competition among Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite a dispute that led the Trojan War.
Apple is a fruit that carries lots of symbolism sometimes mystical in many cultures. It's also related with knowledge and immortality. Its spherical shape represents "totality" (against Greek's myth Pomegranate eaten by Persephone which curses her to stay in the Underworld)
Apples have Estradiol a substance similar to female hormones that improve sexual arousal in women... how sinful and forbidden.
If you but an apple in half a five pointed star or pentagram is revealed, a symbol of the 'five stations from birth to death and rebirth.' that is why it is linked to immortality in Irish legends too. The pentagram is used in many cultures and religions and it was originally a symbol of the Goddess. Wiccans interpret the five points as the five elements- earth, air, water, fire and spirit
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In Ancient China apple blossom, however, symbolised female beauty. Wild apples were considered symbols of Spring. Also the fruit was appreciated because wild apples were not tasty so they had to import them from neighbouring countries being very worth.
So I chose this approach in order to celebrate these gifts Earth provide and divine femininity.
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May your dreams bloom and become fruitful
pd. I love apples... do you like apples? What variety?
and cider... nom :)
Just remember the proverb...
An Apple a day keeps the doctor away
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Other Articles in the Blooming series
All pictures in this article are copyrighted to me Priscilla Hernandez @yidneth in collaboration with @hedac. I am wearing a white lace (Empress Dress) courtesy of Timjan Designs All Rights Reserved.
Priscilla Hernandez
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com
England is apple country. I love apples :)
I quite enjoyed the etymology of the name 'apple'. I was aware that apple simply meant 'fruit' back in the day. I didn't realise 'melon' also just meant 'fruit' in Greek. That's interesting.
I'm going to have an apple now :)
yes first it meant "fruit" (generic) like Oranges would be "chinese apples", cucumbers (earth apples) and so on, it was in the Middle Ages when the fruits really took their name as we know them today, still all the symbolism of apples have been often interpreted as maligned femininity quite unfairly. Good for you, apples are healthy? also good for the heart :) among other things.
I'm also really interested in the topic of how the apple became known as the forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden. All I know is that the Mystery Plays of The Passion often describe it as an apple.
So what happened after new words for other fruits became known? How did they determine the fruit from the Eden myth was actually an apple? I'm of the opinion that the entire tale is a poetic parable, and was never meant to be taken literally. Yet, I'm super curious how any religious scholar decided the apple must be THE fruit from the cursed tree.
In my lifetime modern scholars I have studied from have said nothing but criticism of Medieval leaders who described the fruit from the tale was an apple, and then present their own outlandish theory of what sort of fruit it might have been. Maybe it's the modern scholars who are ignorant.
Any idea as to whether the Norse may have borrowed Idunn from the Eden tale, or the other way around? Perhaps it is anyone's guess how old these stories are.
I can usually recognize the early Roman interpretation of the Biblical tales, because the women characters are almost always depicted as falling from grace and leading others astray. Clearly to me, there was a massive attempt by the state religion of the time to wipe out all forms of goddess worship, to unify all believers in-line with the One God approved by the state. All of the One God religions appeared to recognize the power and unification they could have when they conquered a land through war. The stories do no describe killing off nations of pacifist goddess worshipers and raping the virgin priestesses, but I am sure it happened.
Thank you for sharing an excellent article. I thoroughly enjoyed the photos of the trees in bloom with your wonderful nature spirit inspired clothing. You always do such a great job with styling the hair, make-up, and accessories to match the setting for a gripping image.
A couple of my dwarf apple trees are looking super healthy this year and putting on more growth than ever before. I grow these in pots in the front of the house where they get lots of sun, and some cool shade from a sumac tree above.
One has gravenstein, a great cidar apple or for eating and pie, and the other is called sweet 16, a sweet one with a slight tangy licorice flavor. Still waiting for Idunn to share her first fruits with me.
Goddess/femininity is linke in many prechristian myths as the fruit apple. In the bible the world fruit was generic, and through time "apples" mean fruit while other fruits got other name. But seriously before Middle ages all was fruit/apple thus cucumbers are earth apples, oranges chinese apples and so on, but being linked to Malus name (fruit generic but also evil in latin) and related to femininity (apples always used to arouse women due to irs chemicals) and round (referring to pregnancy) poor apples were doom to become definitely maligned as women have been throughout history.
Pd. Thanks gor such long and insightful comment, wow
We have a grafted apple tree down the side of the house but it hasn't fruited in ages. Suspecting that the grafted apple tree has died and it's the original tree that's growing, but I don't know what the original tree is (assuming it's maybe a slower fruiting apple but really don't know XD).
I also vaguely remember reading somewhere that the bible apple was actually a pomegranate but maybe I'm wrong, memory hazy, been a while.
My favourites are the last two and the red and black one with ratty :)
The pomegranate is in the Greek Myth of Hades and Persephone. The king of the Underworld /Death/ Winter kidnaps Persephone (Spring) and marries her. He tricks her ti eat a cursed pomegeanate so she can leave cos he genuinely loves her but it is kind of a kidnapping, finally it is agreed she spend abov half of the year, thus the seasons. Does your apple tree bloom ?
me encantan tus fotos yidneth, y esa historia de la manzana no la conocia desde la mitologia Nordica, y ahora que leo, realmente no se nada de ella.!
así que este fue un excelente acercamiento, me encanta tu foto con la manzana y tu amistad roedora.
Aww sí esa foto la puse de contraste pq a veces se malignifican cosas sin ton ni son. Gracias por el cumplido y por leer el blog
I had a very enjoyable time reading through (and listening to) your previous posts I had missed. They are all so beautiful. I look forward to seeing your posts in my feed.
Welcome BACK Pris missed your posts really much...
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I tried going apples but I guess I don't the blessing of the goddess :D
You seem to embody Iddun itself. Lovely shots!
Thank you for the compliment and yes, Nature is amazing
I am pretty sure idunn with be worships because normally goddess are been worship
You are very beautiful in your photos! Thanks for sharing!
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