The History of the Olive Tree
The so-called wild olive tree first appeared in the eastern Mediterranean region, and fossilised leaves that have been found have led scientists to believe that the history of the olive tree in this region dates back at least 60,000 years. The earliest written references to the production of olive oil have been found in Syria and Palestine, dating to the mid-3rd and the mid-2nd century BC respectively.
In Greece the use of olive oil was widespread in the Minoan and Mycenaean periods. Athletes throughout the whole of the ancient world would smother their bodies in olive oil before training and before and after competitions to keep themselves clean. We also know that the goddess Athena became the patron god of the city of Athens in the trial with Poseidon, because of her offer of an olive tree.
The olive tree was especially favoured in Egypt and Cyprus. In Egypt they would rub olive oil over the dead and dress them with necklaces made from twigs from the olive tree to guide them to their final abode. Cyprus, a leading olive oil producing country even today, always had excellent olive oil, light and good for the digestion, which the historian Strabo described as "euelaio" i.e. "exquisite olive oil.
During the Byzantine and Ottoman periods Greece had a high olive oil production, since the palaces of the nobles had an increased need for oil, for good food and lighting. However, when the Greeks began to rise up in 1821 the Turks, as punishment, burned many olive groves, condemning the Greek population to hunger and poverty.
Six thousand barrels of olive oil were exported from the port of Kalamata, one of the five main Greek ports, in 1800, indicating just how great olive oil exports were.
Today, olive oil cultivation continues to be highly developed in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Cyprus. In many countries, including Greece, olive oil cultivation is protected by special legislation.
