By Amy Smith
Can we identify the round objects to which the woman reaches on this ancient Athenian red-figure mug in the Ure Museum of Greek archaeology at Reading?

Perhaps she is reaching towards round fruit: apple or quince? Even with the best artist, we are hard pressed to distinguish a ball from a fruit, an apple from a quince. We need three of other four senses—touch, taste and especially smell to know the difference. Fresh quince emit a flowery scent that fills the home with a lovely aroma, but they’re better eaten cooked, e.g. in jellies or ‘cheese’.

Apple & quince are abundant in European Christmas traditions because of their seasonal availability. While mistletoe might hang on the apple trees throughout the year, it is at Christmas time that its berries appear and stand out from the relatively barren apple trees, which have lost their fruit. Yet the apples & quince have been harvested, carefully kept so that they might still be enjoyed fresh, or dried in rings to symbolise fertility in Christmas decorations, or smaller pieces in a Christmas cake mix. Quince peel is commonly added to savoury cuisine. In Greece, with its warmer climate and thus a triple-season cycle, fresh apples & quince ripen closer to Christmas. Quinces are also used with Greek weddings and fruit and nuts have been poured on the bride & groom in ancient and modern Greek weddings. Whether at Christmas or a wedding these fruits symbolise fertility. Since Christmas celebrates the birth of a baby it is easy to understand why fertility symbols are important, but how did the apple & quince become symbols of fertility? Perhaps because of their health benefits, as they are rich in minerals and vitamins. Could our young woman on our vase be taking apple or quince to enhance her fertility? The winged boy who offers them to her is none other than Eros, the god of love.
You can see more objects from the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology at their website or by visiting the museum at The University of Reading.