Greek Legend

The origin of the olive tree is explained by a Greek legend, in which Zeus organised a contest between Athena and Poseidon.

The prize of Attica was to go to whoever provided the most useful gift. Poseidon produced a magnificent horse, but Athena supplied an olive tree and won.

It was after her that Athens was named and it is said that her tree was planted on the rock of the Acropolis.

The first record of commercial olive cultivations dates back more than 5,000 years to Syria.

Olive growing spread from Persia and Mesopotamia to Egypt.

The Egyptians used olive oil and other ingredients to preserve mummies and decorated with olive branches. Tutenkhamen is reputed to have worn a garland of olive leaves.

Olives were left in the tombs of the Pharaohs for food in the afterlife. Although the Egyptians did not grow olives during this time, they imported oil from Syria.

Olive cuttings were first introduced into Greece around 1,000 BC and by 600 BC the olive had become so important to the Greek economy that laws were introduced to protect the olive trees of Athens and anyone caught cutting down an olive tree was executed.

Victorious athletes were rewarded with garlands of olives and jars of olive oil (today they only get a medal!).

The Greeks are believed to have introduced the olive to the Romans who planted trees widely, until there was hardly a region within the country that did not produce olives or oil.

Religious References

The Bible is studded with references illustrating the importance of olive oil. The dove sent out of the ark by Noah returned with an olive branch, proving that the waters had subsided.

Since then, it has been regarded as a symbol of peace, and of earth's bounty. Moses was instructed to make a holy anointing oil using olive oil and spices.

References to olive oil are also made in the Koran, regarding its use in lamps.

Production

For many centuries, olives and olive oil production was largely a family business until the development of industrial oil refining plants around the end of the nineteenth century.

Small production centres remained in each country producing superior oil and supplying local demand, but mostly the oil was sent to the refinery to be traded worldwide.

It wasn't until the late 1970's that nutritionists began to take note of the nutritional advantages of olive oil, a large part of the Mediterranean diet.