Seven plants of the field and vine, with which Eretz-Israel is praised, are elaborated in the Book of Deuteronomy (8:8): “A land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive and honey.” Ripened yield of the seven species was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. These crops and fruits frequently served ancient Jewish art as decorative motifs in synagogues and on everyday utensils, such as coins, seals, rings, lamps, jewelry, glass vessels, and more.

Bronze oil lamp handle in shape of  a vine leaf Mishnaic (Late Roman) period

The Vine Eretz-Israel has always been known for its vineyards and their products.  The vine symbolized the fertility of the land, and the people of Israel were likened to a vine planted by God. The vine, the cluster, the leaves, and the tendrils were frequent patterns of decoration. Grapes symbolized happiness and eternal life, and they decorated Maccabean coins, Bar-Kochba coins, and oil lamps.  The ornamentation was meant to recall the Holy Temple, in which Herod affixed a vine of gold to the entrance of the Holy of Holies. The vine pattern decorates ancient synagogues, coffins, and other objects.

The Pomegranate The fruit of the pomegranate, juicy and full of seeds, was a common symbol of human, animal, and vegetable fertility. Accordingly ritual items, such as jars, pendants, scepters, and votive objects were designed in the shape of the pomegranate. Ornaments in the shape of this fruit decorated the hems of the garments of the High Priest. Copper pomegranates decorated Yachin and Boaz - the columns that were placed in the Temple's façade.

Vessel shaped like a pomegranate Late Israelite (Iron)  period

Limestone fragment depicting a fig leaves,  from the synagogue at Capharnaum, 4th-6th centuries CE

The Fig In Jewish sources, the fig stands for part of the image describing a life of tranquility and quiet: “And every man sat under his vine and under his fig tree and was not afraid” (Micah 4:4). In the Bible, many allegories and images connect the fig with the people of Israel; its fruit are one of the fruit representing the yield of the land. Following Jewish tradition, which identifies the tree of knowledge as the fig tree, the fig is also related to the Torah.

The Olive The evergreen olive, which is strongly connected with Eretz-Israel, its original home, was a metaphor for beauty, fertility, and strength, as well as a symbol of peace and hope, wisdom and happiness.  The olive is mentioned many times in Jewish sources; it was the prime export of Eretz-Israel; and throughout the generations, its fruit and oil served the residents of the land in many different ways.

Decorated shard depicting an  olive branch (upper row)  a vine branch (middle row) and a pomegranate branch (lower row) Mishnaic (Late Roman) period

Glass bottle  in shape of a date 2nd-3rd centuries CE

The Date Dates, among the most ancient fruit trees in Eretz-Israel, had a central function in the economics of the inhabitants of the region. The branches of the date symbolize the abundant yield of the land, but also the wandering of the Israelites in the desert by virtue of the fact that the lulav (palm frond) is one of the four species servicing the holiday of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Braid like engravings of date tree branches were among the wall decorations of the in the Temple of Solomon. The date was the inspiration for the design of column capitals in the Late Israelite (Iron) period; known as the ‘palmate capital’, it decorated palaces and public structures.

Wheat and Barley In ancient times, grain constituted a principal component of the human diet. This fact, in addition to the phenomenon of the sprouting of dry grain seeds in the ground, made it a symbol of agricultural plenty and rebirth. Decorations in the form of stalks of grain were frequent in Jewish art in the period of the Jewish wars against Rome, and they expressed hope and national rebirth.

Gnostic black slate gem, depicting a figure  reaping barley, Talmudic (Byzantine) period

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