PUMO PUGLIESE - The Italian "LUCKY TALISMAN"!
In this article I will tell you about the history , meaning and symbolism , as well as the use of this strange thing called Pumo /Pomo/, which many of you have surely seen during your visits to Italy.
Very often our Clients ask me in amazement " What is this? ", remaining fascinated by my answer.
I was personally captivated by my husband's account of the meaning and symbolism. That's why I decided to write about him first (not only because my husband is a native of this wonderful region of Puglia).
A decorative object that carries within itself history, legends, lore, and in itself is a very fine object in all its varieties and colors.
Let's start from the name itself, Pumo (PUMO), a word of Latin origin ( pomom ), which literally translates as "fruit".
Hence its connection with the Cult of the Goddess Pomona ( Patrona pomorum - Ancient Roman deity), mistress of fruits, not only of fruit trees, but also of the vine and the olive tree. She is always represented with fruit in her lap or in a horn, often depicted with a wreath of roses in her hair. It is because of this that it is associated with fertility and fertility .
Pumo Pugliese is an emblematic symbol of the entire region of Puglia, but the town of Grottaglie (Provincia di Taranto) is considered to be its "birthplace", where a whole ceramic district (Il Quartiere della ceramica), a living museum with over 50 artisan workshops, is dedicated. where master craftsmen, specialists in artistic ceramics, operate to this day.
Traditionally, the shape of the Pumo was inspired by the buds and leaves of the Acanto plant (Acanthus or Bear's foot), which in turn was also considered, both in Roman and Greek mythology, to carry divine power, chastity , immortality and resurrection .
Initially, Pumo pugliese was a luxurious decorative element, available only to the most wealthy and noble families, being made of ceramic, a very expensive material at that time. It was displayed on facades, balconies and walls of mansions, precisely as a demonstration of the families' financial capabilities. As a symbol of prosperity , luck , and protection from evil forces . It was even believed that the more elaborate the work, the greater its effect, and accordingly, the wealthier the family.
Whoever has had the good fortune to visit Puglia, especially going down the "boot heel", walking through the beautiful streets of the historic centers, has inevitably come across these Ceramic ornaments on both sides of the entrance doors of some mansions of noble origin. Identical to each other, usually handmade by master craftsmen.
Over time, fortunately, even modest families have been given the opportunity to own it and decorate their homes.
Thus, over the centuries, the Pumo Pugliese has become a symbol of prosperity , of fertility , as a good luck charm , carrying a good omen and protecting against evil .
Nowadays, in addition to the classical form of an acanthus bud with a perfectly smooth surface, it often takes the form of a rose bud, or a cone (pigna). Some even liken it to a drop of water enclosed in a leaf.
Its exquisite shape, this beautiful rose bud about to bloom, loaded with so much symbolism, makes it a favorite of many newlyweds as a decorative ornament in wedding halls, as a souvenir gift for guests, and also given to the newlyweds themselves, as a wedding a gift , but in significantly larger sizes, precisely with a wish for prosperity, luck, for the new path they are taking together, for the new life they will create, for the new beginning they are making as a family.
The bigger, the luckier!
It is often given to newlyweds, at baptisms, at the start of a new activity, in general as a gift for any new beginning, with a wish for luck, prosperity and success .
But whatever the shape, if you own a Pumo made by artisans, it means that you have a small treasure that carries the history and spirit of the Puglia population, but also a real talisman that will protect you, your family and your Home from evil forces .
But, there is one feature! The important thing is to be given as a gift , TO BRING LUCK, TO ACT AS A TALISMAN. Otherwise, if you buy it yourself, it's just a beautiful decorative accessory.
I will be happy if I managed to provide you with interesting information, and I will be even more happy if you tell me if and where you have seen a Puma, and why not - if you were given one as a gift!
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