In the Ancient Greek mythology, the pomegranate was known as the "fruit of the dead".

Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition.

According to the Qur'an, pomegranates grow in the gardens of paradise. The Qur'an also mentions pomegranates three times as examples of good things God creates.

Pomegranates were known in Ancient Israel as the fruits which the scouts brought to Moses to demonstrate the fertility of the "promised land".
Pomegranate was the symbol of fertility in ancient Persian culture.
Also in Hinduism, the pomegranate symbolizes prosperity and fertility.
Pictures of the ripe fruit with the seeds bursting forth were often hung in homes to bestow fertility and bless the dwelling with numerous offspring, an important facet of traditional Chinese culture.

Pomegranates continue to be a motif often found in Christian religious decoration. Pomegranates figure in many religious paintings by the likes of Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci, often in the hands of the Virgin Mary or the infant Jesus. The fruit, broken or bursting open, is a symbol of the fullness of Jesus' suffering and resurrection.