Inclassical antiquity, thecornucopia (/ˌkɔːrn(j)əˈkoʊpiə,-n(j)uː-/ ⓘ; from Latin cornu 'horn' and copia 'abundance'), also called thehorn of plenty, is asymbol of abundance andnourishment, commonly a largehorn-shapedcontainer overflowing withproduce, flowers, ornuts. InGreek, it was called the "horn of Amalthea" (Ancient Greek:κέρας Ἀμαλθείας,romanized: kéras Amaltheías),[1] afterAmalthea, a nurse ofZeus, who is often part of stories of the horn's origin.
Baskets orpanniers of this form were traditionally used inwestern Asia and Europe to hold and carry newlyharvested food products. The horn-shaped basket would be worn on the back or slung around the torso, leaving the harvester's hands free for picking.
Mythology offers multipleexplanations of the origin of the cornucopia. One of the best-known involves the birth and nurturance of the infantZeus, who had to be hidden from his devouring fatherCronus. In a cave onMount Ida on the island ofCrete, baby Zeus was cared for and protected by a number of divine attendants, including the goatAmalthea ("Nourishing Goddess"), who fed him with her milk. The suckling future king of the gods had unusual abilities and strength, and in playing with his nursemaid accidentally broke off one of herhorns, which then had the divine power to provide unending nourishment, as the foster mother had to the god.[2]
In another myth, the cornucopia was created whenHeracles (RomanHercules) wrestled with the river godAchelous and ripped off one of his horns; river gods were sometimes depicted as horned.[3] This version is represented in theAchelous and Herculesmural painting by theAmerican Regionalist artistThomas Hart Benton.
The cornucopia became the attribute of severalGreek andRoman deities, particularly those associated with the harvest, prosperity, or spiritual abundance, such aspersonifications of Earth (Gaia orTerra); the childPlutus, god of riches and son of the grain goddessDemeter; thenymphMaia; andFortuna, the goddess of luck, who had the power to grant prosperity. InRoman Imperial cult, abstract Roman deities who fostered peace(pax Romana) and prosperity were also depicted with a cornucopia, includingAbundantia, "Abundance" personified, andAnnona, goddess of thegrain supply to the city of Rome.Hades, the classical ruler of the underworld in themystery religions, was a giver of agricultural, mineral and spiritual wealth, and in art often holds a cornucopia.[4]
In modern depictions, the cornucopia is typically a hollow, horn-shaped wicker basket filled with various kinds of festivefruit andvegetables. In most ofNorth America, the cornucopia has come to be associated withThanksgiving and the harvest. Cornucopia is also the name of the annual November Food and Wine celebration inWhistler, British Columbia, Canada. Two cornucopias are seen in theflag andstate seal ofIdaho. The GreatSeal of North Carolina depicts Liberty standing and Plenty holding a cornucopia. The coats of arms ofColombia,Panama,Peru,Venezuela,Victoria, Australia andKharkiv, Ukraine, also feature the cornucopia, symbolizing prosperity.[citation needed]
Cornucopia motifs appear in some modern literature, such asTerry Pratchett'sWintersmith andSuzanne Collins'sThe Hunger Games.[citation needed]
The horn of plenty is used for body art and atThanksgiving, as it is a symbol of fertility, fortune and abundance.[citation needed]
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![Roman cornucopia of Commodus as Hercules, c.192, marble, Capitoline Museums, Rome[5]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCommodo_vestito_da_Ercole_ai_Musei_Capitolini.jpg)
![Renaissance cornucopia on the Maison des Cariatides, Dijon, France, unknown architect or sculptor, c.1550-1600[6]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aDijon_(21)_Maison_des_Cariatides_-_15.jpg)
![Baroque cornucopia in the ceiling of the Galerie d'Apollon, Louvre Palace, Paris, by Louis Le Vau and Charles Le Brun, after 1661[7]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aLe_Verseau_dans_la_galerie_d%2527Apollon.jpg)
![Baroque pair of cornucopias on the garden façade of the Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France, by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, 1678–1688[8]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a2017_Escultura._Palacio_de_Versalles_P41.jpg)
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![Rococo pair of cornucopias in the Opéra national de Lorraine, Nancy, France, designed by Jean-François de La Borde, 1753[9]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNancy_op%25C3%25A9ra_national_de_Lorraine_armoiries_de_Nancy.jpg)
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![Neoclassical cornucopia on a vase, by the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, 1814, hard-paste porcelain with platinum background and gilt bronze mounts, Louvre[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aPair_of_Spindle_Vases_-_OA_11090_-_Louvre_(05).jpg)
![Neoclassical cornucopias on the Choir Carpet of Notre-Dame de Paris, by the Gobelins Manufactory, 1825-1833[11]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aParis_-_Cath%25C3%25A9drale_Notre-Dame_de_Paris_-_Tapis_monumental_du_ch%25C5%2593ur_-_D%25C3%25A9tail_-6.JPG)
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![Beaux-Arts cornucopias on the Petit Palais, Paris, by Charles Giraud, 1900[12]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aParis_-_Fa%25C3%25A7ade_du_Petit_Palais_-_PA00088878_-_035.jpg)
![Beaux-Arts stuccos with pairs of cornucopias in the Generala Building (Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta no. 5), Bucharest, Romania, by Oscar Maugsch, 1906-1908[13]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aInterior_of_the_BCR_Headquarters_Building_31.jpg)
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Media related toCornucopia at Wikimedia Commons
