Cornucopia

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For other uses, see Cornucopia (disambiguation).

Cornucopia held by the Roman goddess Aequitas on the reverse of this antoninianus struck under Roman Emperor Claudius II.

The cornucopia (Latin: Cornu Copiae) is a symbol of food and abundance dating back to the 5th Century BC, also referred to as Horn of Plenty, Horn of Amalthea, and harvest cone.

In Greek mythology, Amalthea raised Zeus on the milk of a goat. In return Zeus gave Amalthea the goat's horn. It had the power to give to the person in possession of it whatever he or she wished for. This gave rise to the legend of the cornucopia. The original depictions were of the goat's horn filled with fruits and flowers: deities, especially Fortuna, would be depicted with the horn of plenty.

In modern depiction, the cornucopia is typically a hollow, horn-shaped wicker basket typically filled with various kinds of festive fruit and vegetables. In North America, the cornucopia has come to be associated with Thanksgiving and the harvest.

Cornucopia is also the name of Whistler's annual Wine and Food celebration held in November.