Food stills are a great way to learn about the eating habits of a particular era, and it is no coincidence that Juan de Zurbarán (1598-1664) painted pomegranates apart from the basket of apples. Fruit was common in Spain at the time, as it was in other countries around the Mediterranean. We now know how many benefits pomegranates have; our ancestors outright considered them a symbol of fertility. In a strange twist, the grenades used in wars are named after the French name for pomegranate (grenade). (Juan de Zurbarán: Basket with apples, quinces, and pomegranates)