...that the olive tree has existed for 7000 years - fossil finds
prove this. The origin was probably North Africa. |
|
|
...the oldest traces of European oil culture were discovered
in Crete and are over 3000 years old. |
|
|
...the pigeon which Noah sent out after the flood brought back
an olive branch in its beak as a sign that there was dry land.
|
|
...the city of Athens was nearly called Poseidon? According
to mythology,
the goddess of wisdom Athena and the god of the sea Poseidon
fought to
have control of Attica. Zeus decided to give the power to the
one who could
offer something useful and eternal to the people of Attica.
While Poseidon
created a salty spring on the acropolis, Athene planted a young
olive tree
which provides man with food, light and medicinal remedies.
|
|
|
...the Olympic flame will be lit with olive oil. |
|
...even the Babylonians and the Phoenicians traded in olive
oil. Ancient
amphores used for trading olive oil were sealed and "labelled"
with not only
the name of the ship owner and the trader but also with the
country of
origin, name of the producer and the date of harvest plus the
best before use
date (more than can be found declared on labels today). |
|
...the Greeks are the third largest olive oil producers in Europe
and have
the highest level of domestic consumption (20 litres per person
per year) and
so only a small quantity is exported under a Greek label. Most
Greek oil is
bought by Italy where it is blended with Italian oil to enhance
the quality
before being re-exported under an Italian label! |
|
...large amounts of Spanish olive oil are likewise imported
into Italy and
bottled as Tuscan olive oil ready for export! |
