DESCRIPTION:

The myrtle tree (Myrtus communis L) was considered sacred to the goddess Aphrodite. Due to the beauty of its slender leaves and its delicate white flowers, it was used in wedding ceremonies and for the decoration of temples in ancient times. The myrtle is not only used as an ingredient in perfumes and medicines but also in Mediterranean cooking.

Myrtle, as a symbol of the benevolent power of Aphrodite, is evident in a story about a miracle of the goddess, which is dated by Athenaios to the early 7th century BC. Erostratos, a merchant from Naukratis, had once visited the sanctuary of Aphrodite in Paphos. During the return to his homeland, his ship faced the danger of sinking due to a fierce sea storm. Erostratos, together with all the sailors, prayed to a figurine of Aphrodite that he had bought in Paphos. The goddess saved them by calming the sea, while the ship deck was miraculously covered with fresh myrtle branches.