Olive Oil History

Everyone knows about the significance of olive oil. Almost whenever it comes to a healthy diet, olive oil is a great player. The oil, both healthy and delicious, has long been known as healthy oil in the world.

Olive fruit has always been one of the most common foods in the Mediterranean area, including ancient Greece and Rome. Wild olive, which has its roots in Asia Minor, has been consumed since about 8 thousand years BC. In addition to food, this oil is used in religious ceremonies, medicines, oil lamp fuel, soap making and skin care. The ancient Spartans and Greeks applied this oil to their bodies while exercising. From the beginning of the 7th century BC, it was also used in cosmetics and its use spread rapidly. Olive oil resembles date fruit as two nutritious fruits travel back in history.

 

It is not known when and where olive trees were domesticated. Today’s olive trees probably originated from ancient Persia and Mesopotamia and were taken from there to Syria and then to Africa. Of course, some researchers also consider its origin to be Egyptian. About 3 thousand years BC, this tree reached Carthage and Libya and from there it was spread westward by the Phoenicians.

 

Until about 1500 BC, the best olive cultivation was on the Mediterranean coast. Evidence shows that the first olive oil amphora dates back to 3500 BC, although it is believed to date back to 4000 BC. Olive trees made their way to America in the 16th century by planting in areas that had a climate similar to the Mediterranean, such as Chile, Argentina, and California. Recent genetic studies suggest that the species used by modern breeders have wild ancestors, but it is unclear when they were domesticated.