![]() These belonged to a library of clay tablets perfectly preserved by having been baked in the fire that destroyed the palace. Here some dozen documents dated 2400 BC describe the lands of the king and the queen. Olive trees and oil production in the Eastern Mediterranean can be traced to archives of the ancient city-state Ebla (2600–2240 BC), which were located on the outskirts of the Syrian city Aleppo. Trade and production Ancient oil press (Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, Bodrum, Turkey)Īrchaeological evidence shows that by 6000 BC olives were being turned into olive oil and in 4500 BC at a now-submerged prehistoric settlement south of Haifa. ![]() Recent genetic studies suggest that species used by modern cultivators descend from multiple wild populations, but detailed history of domestication is unknown. Olive trees were introduced to the Americas in the 16th century when cultivation began in areas that enjoyed a climate similar to the Mediterranean such as Chile, Argentina, and California. Later, as Greek colonies were established in other parts of the Mediterranean, olive farming was introduced to places like Spain and continued to spread throughout the Roman Empire. The cultivation of olive trees in Crete became particularly intense in the post-palatial period and played an important role in the island's economy, as it did across the Mediterranean. Olive trees were certainly cultivated by the Late Minoan period (1500 BC) in Crete, and perhaps as early as the Early Minoan. The earliest surviving olive oil amphorae date to 3500 BC ( Early Minoan times), though the production of olive oil is assumed to have started before 4000 BC. Evidence also suggests that olives were being grown in Crete as long ago as 2500 BC. Until around 1500 BC, eastern coastal areas of the Mediterranean were most heavily cultivated. The olive tree reached Greece, Carthage and Libya sometime in the 28th century BC, having been spread westward by the Phoenicians. The modern olive tree may have originated in ancient Persia and Mesopotamia and spread to the Levant and later to North Africa, though some scholars argue for an Egyptian origin. It is not clear when and where olive trees were first domesticated. Early cultivation Ancient Greek olive oil production workshop in Klazomenai, Ionia (modern Turkey) Olive oil was also popular as a form of birth control Aristotle in his History of Animals recommends applying a mixture of olive oil combined with either oil of cedar, ointment of lead, or ointment of frankincense to the cervix to prevent pregnancy. From its beginnings early in the 7th century BC, the cosmetic use of olive oil quickly spread to all of the Hellenic city-states, together with athletes training in the nude, and lasted close to a thousand years despite its great expense. The Spartans and other Greeks used oil to rub themselves while exercising in the gymnasia. Besides food, olive oil has been used for religious rituals, medicines, as a fuel in oil lamps, soap-making, and skincare application. Wild olives, which originated in Asia Minor, were collected by Neolithic people as early as the 8th millennium BC. Olive oil has long been a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, including ancient Greek and Roman cuisine. Extra virgin olive oil is required to have no more than 0.8% free acidity and is considered to have favorable flavor characteristics. It consists mainly of oleic acid (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of other fatty acids including linoleic acid (up to 21%) and palmitic acid (up to 20%). The composition of olive oil varies with the cultivar, altitude, time of harvest, and extraction process. Other large producers are Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Turkey and Morocco. ![]() Spain is the world's largest producer, manufacturing almost half of the world's olive oil. Olive trees have been grown around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC. The olive is one of three core food plants in Mediterranean cuisine, together with wheat and grapes. It also has additional uses in some religions. It can also be found in some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuels for traditional oil lamps. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods or as a salad dressing. Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained by pressing whole olives, the fruit of Olea europaea, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, and extracting the oil. ![]() Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols. This article contains special characters.
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