Why Was The Pineapple A Status Symbol Once?

Conny Waters –  AncientPages.com – In modern times, pineapple is a common fruit easily found in any grocery store. However, did you know that this tropical fruit was once regarded as a symbol of wealth and status? Centuries ago, possessing a pineapple indicated affluence due to its rarity. The pineapple, cultivated for centuries, is originally a tropical plant native to South America.

Columbus’s “Discovery” Of The Pineapple

During his second voyage to the New World on November 4, 1493, Christopher Columbus came ashore “on the newly sighted Caribbean island he had just named Santa Maria de Guadelope, and promptly “discovered” the pineapple (Ananas comosus).” 1

He named the fruit “pina” due to its resemblance to a pinecone. Columbus and his men were skeptical and cautious when the Native Americans approached them in their canoes, bringing fresh water and food to trade.

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