The History of Olive Oil
(See how the people of Syria were the pilots
in the art of Olive Oil making)
Specialists
acknowledge that Olive was first a native of the lands of greater
Syria (nearly six thousand years ago) before spreading to the
rest of the Mediterranean basin. Legend claims that the Olive
tree made its first appearance in Syria, in the ancient city-state
of Ebla.
The kingdom of Ebla is located on the outskirts of the Syrian
city Aleppo. During the height of its power
( 2600-2240 BC), Ebla dominated northern Syria, Lebanon, and parts
of northern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and enjoyed trade and diplomatic
relations with states as far away as Egypt, Iran, and Sumer
The
interesting thing about Ebla, is that there was a library of clay
tablets that had been perfectly preserved by having been baked in
the fire that destroyed the palace. Many of the tablets dealt with
administrative and commercial affairs. The tablets that have been
consolidated by fire, included one considered as the first bilingual
dictionary in the world. These tablets use cuneiform script and
are written in many languages.
The
first official documentation regarding olive trees and oil production
was found in the archives of the ancient city-state Ebla. It consists
of almost 12 documents, dated 2400 BC, describing lands in the
property of the king & the queen
concerning olive tree plantations. The archive sites 4000 jars
of Olive Oil being held for the royal family and staff and 7000
jars for the people. As each jar could hold up to 60 kg of oil,
the quantities cited in such documentation are impressive: 700
tons of oil and over 1465 hectares of plantations. The significance
of this is realized when it is known that the Akkadian population
of Ebla at the time was around 15,000. , which makes Olive Oil
a major industry at the time. The term itself used in Arabic to
name the olive (zeitoun) has a very close resemblance to the Akkadian
term "zi-ir-tun" meaning Olive. One of the oldest olive
oil related archaeological findings are huge jars found in the
Ancient City of Ebla, which was filled with olive oil and used
for trade with Egypt through the port city of Ugarit.
The
cultivation of the Olive trees, is one of the oldest signs of civilization
in the world. It even preceded writing. The Olive culture, derived
from the benefits of Olive Oil, and the mythology linked to it spread
through the Phoenicians to Greece, and from Greece to Rome, and
then to the rest of the Western world. In the past few hundred years,
the growth of Olive has spread to the Americas, Japan, Australia,
and South Africa. Nevertheless, until this day around 99 percent
of all olive oil still spills from the rim of the Mediterranean.
Ancestral devotion to the olive tree has carried down to later generations
converting many into olive oil aficionados.
Today,
6000 years after the spread of Olive cultivation from Syria to
the rest of the Mediterranean, Syrians are still among the leading
producers of Olive Oil (it ranks sixth in Olive Oil output). The
Syrian soil and climate is still as always, the best accustomed
for the growth of Olive Oil. Syrian villages still linked to there
past, have definitely got the best know-how of the art of Olive
growing. This ancient know-how has definitely improved and advanced
in time, however, some basics characteristics remain such as the
use of natural mechanisms rather than chemical solutions.
Mystical
Olive Oil.
Olive trees have a long life and are believed to live 300 to 600
years but perhaps even longer. Even when its trunk and branches
may die, the olive tree sprouts once again bringing life into a
new tree. Today it is estimated that approximately 800 million olive
trees thrive on earth with approximately 400 different varieties
of olive trees cultivated worldwide. But more impressive than the
numbers is the divine air that seems to filter through the branches
of the Olive tree.
The Mediterranean world has regarded the olive as sacred for thousands
of years. In many religions and cultures throughout history, the
olive tree has served some purpose and has been a symbol of peace,
life, and fertility. Ebla, the first civilization proven to have
known olive oil, offered the golden liquid to their gods. Later,
the ancient Egyptian credited the Goddess Isis with teaching mankind
its cultivation and wisdom. The Pharaohs also used olive oil to
aid in building the pyramids. During modern excavations of Egyptian
tombs, containers of olive oil were found among the graves. The
Greeks believed that Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, bestowed the
olive on mankind thereby winning a contest between the Gods for
presenting the most useful gift. In Ancient Greece, athletes used
olive oil to rub over their bodies. The first Olympic torch was
a burning olive branch. The Bible is brimming with references to
olive oil, from the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (oil
as lamp fuel) to the story of the Good Samaritan (oil as unguent)
to the prophet Elisha's rescue of the destitute widow (oil as item
of trade). All in all, the Bible contains 140 references to Olive
Oil and the Koran and Hadith mention the value of Olive Oil several
times. In one Hadith, the Prophet (saws) was said to have stated
that Olive Oil has in it a cure for seventy diseases. Today the
king of Saudi Arabia gives it as a traditional gift to pilgrims
to Mecca.
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