Olive
Oil - Home Page
The
Olive and Olive Oil
Uses
of Olive Oil
Benefits
of Olive Oil
Olive
Oil and Health
Olive
Oil and Beauty
Olive
Oil and Hands
History
of Olive Oil
Types
of Olive Oil
Countries
and Olive Oil
Olive
Oil in Recipes
An
Olive Oil Story
Olive
Oil Recipes:
Olive
Oil in Dressings
Olive
Oil in Salads
Olive
Oil Recipes
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History of Olive
Oil
Since the earliest
days of history, the olive tree has been much more than a food source.
For millennia it has been used in medicine, magic, and everyday life.
Olive trees were offered up to deities in religious ceremonies and the
leafy branches became crowns for the victors in friendly games, and blood-soaked
wars. The humble olive tree was seen for centuries as a symbol of great
power and wealth.
It is believed that wild olive trees originated in Asia Minor, which is
now modern day Turkey, and Neolithic peoples from 8th millennium BC are
known to have collected wild olives.
The first domesticated olive trees were grown on the Island of Crete and
the earliest surviving olive oil vessels date back to around 3500 BC,
although olive oil production would have begun some time before this.
Pre 2000 BC, the Egyptians spared no expense in importing olive oil from
the Eastern Mediterranean. Olive oil was inextricably linked to commerce
and wealth at the time and by 1500 BC, olive trees had become a very important
crop in eastern areas of the Mediterranean. Olive oil production was an
intrinsic part of the Minoan civilization during this period and they
were known to have used olive oil in their religious ceremonies.
By the 7th Century BC, trade in olive oil by Celtic tribes had spread
olive tree growing as far as Iberia and Southern Gaul.
At the height of the Roman Empire, olive oil produced from Italy was considered
to be of excellent quality for a reasonable price. Olive oil was a major
commodity in Italy during this period and olive trees were considered
so sacred that the crime of cutting one down was punishable by death or
exile. Olive oil was also very commonly used in cuisine at this time.
In ancient Greece, it is thought that the city of Athens gained its name
because the Athenians preferred the offering of an olive tree from the
Goddess Athena, to that of a salt water spring from Poseidon.
The Spartans used olive oil liberally during exercise as olive oil was
widely believed to enhance youth and strength. The decorative use of oil
to highlight the human form became a tradition that lasted for almost
a thousand years.
Today, olive oil and its production remains a fundamental part of the
Mediterranean economy and the olive tree is still prized above many other
crops.
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