The History of Olive Oil: The Origins and Uses of One of the Staple Ingredients of Mediterranean Cuisine.

The history of oil dates back over 6,000 years to the Middle East. Today, although there are countless types of edible oils, olive oil is the most common in Italy and the Mediterranean region, where it also holds significant cultural and symbolic importance.

Oil is a highly viscous, hydrophobic liquid that can be derived from various sources (animal, vegetable, mineral, or “modified”) and is used for a wide variety of purposes. The oldest oil is olive oil, which dates back to prehistoric times. The olive tree, along with the vine and wheat, is one of the elements of the “Mediterranean trinity”: that is, it is one of the most important plants of the civilizations of the Mediterranean basin. Oil production is mentioned in numerous ancient texts, including the Code of Hammurabi. For many centuries, however, oil was used more to fuel lamps and other uses than for cooking. Furthermore, unlike other plants, the olive tree has never spread beyond the Mediterranean and is still produced and consumed primarily in the basin countries. In the rest of the world, other types of oils are preferred.

What do we mean by oil?

"Oil" is a term with a very broad meaning and generally refers to a viscous, hydrophobic liquid (i.e., one that does not mix with water). Originally, the word referred only to olive oil, which is the oldest, but it has since been used to designate numerous other liquids of plant origin (in addition to olive oil, those from sunflower seeds, soybeans, flax, etc.), animal origin (for example, cod liver oil), and mineral origin (petroleum and others).

Many “modified” artificial oils are derived from “natural” oils. Their uses are also very diverse: oils are used in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, as fuels, and for many other purposes. In Italy, as throughout the Mediterranean region, olive oil is the most commonly used oil in cooking.

The Origins of Olive Oil:

The origins of olive oil date back to prehistoric times. Humans have been eating olives from wild olive trees since the dawn of time, and over the years, they learned how to extract oil from them. Around 5000 B.C., the cultivation of domestic olive trees began, initially taking root in the Syro-Palestinian region and later spreading to other parts of the Mediterranean and the Near East. Olive oil was certainly known to the Babylonian civilization and is mentioned in the Code of Hammurabi, the oldest known legal code, dating back to 1700 BC. The olive tree became widespread in Crete, and in the second millennium BC, the production and trade of olive oil became a major source of wealth for the Minoan civilization.

Originally, olive oil was used not so much for food as for fueling lamps and, to a lesser extent, for cosmetics and medicine. Olive oil was not used everywhere, however. Since ancient times, other types of oil, such as flaxseed oil, have also been widely used in the Mediterranean, while different types prevailed in other parts of the world—for example, soybean oil in the East and palm oil in pre-Columbian American civilizations.

Oil in Greece and Rome

Olive oil was widely used in Greek civilization, as evidenced by both literary texts and archaeological findings. It was the ancient Greeks who spread the cultivation of olive trees throughout the Mediterranean region.

Olive oil also spread to Rome and was introduced throughout nearly all the empire's territories. During the Roman era, the first classifications of olive oil by geographical origin were proposed. In fact, several authors mentioned olive oil in their works and highlighted its importance.

The symbolic significance of olive oil and the olive tree

Thanks to their widespread use, olive oil and the olive tree became important elements of Mediterranean culture and also found their way into mythology and ritual practices. For the Greeks, the olive tree was sacred to Pallas Athena, who, according to myth, caused a tree to sprout at the site where the city of Athens was founded. Oil also held strong symbolic significance in the Jewish world, to the point of being used for the anointing of kings and priests, who were “anointed” with consecrated oil upon taking office. From Judaism, the symbolic value of oil passed into Christianity. From the earliest centuries, the Church incorporated both the olive tree—through celebrations such as Palm Sunday—and oil—through rites such as the anointing of the sick—into its liturgy. The word “Christ” itself is nothing more than the Greek translation of the Hebrew “Messiah,” which literally means “the anointed one.” From religious rites, oil became an important element in secular rituals as well, to the point that until the modern era, sovereigns were anointed at their coronations.

Olive Oil from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era

Olive cultivation declined, along with all agricultural production, after the fall of the Roman Empire, but it did not cease entirely and continued throughout the Middle Ages. The Italian maritime republics also built their wealth on the olive oil trade. Although it was already used in cooking in ancient and medieval times, it was not until the 18th century that it became an indispensable part of the diet, at least in the regions where it was produced.

The olive tree has never, or only to a limited extent, spread beyond the borders of the Mediterranean basin. It was introduced to the Americas in the 18th century, but unlike the grapevine and wheat, it faced greater difficulties in establishing itself. Production in the Americas has always remained marginal, and the plant is virtually absent on other continents.

Olive oil today

Today, most olive oil is produced in Mediterranean countries. According to data from the International Olive Council, the top three producing countries are, in order, Spain, Italy, and Greece. Global production has tripled over the past 60 years, rising from 1 million to over 3 million tons. Olive oil consumption is also widespread, particularly in the Mediterranean basin, where it is an important component of the Mediterranean diet. According to the North America Olive Oil Association, the country with the highest per capita consumption is Greece, at 24 liters per year, followed by Spain (about 15 liters) and Italy (about 13 liters). However, when considering all oils—not just those for food use—it becomes clear that, globally, olive oil is the least used.

I hope you enjoyed learning more about olive oil.

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Buon appetito!

Chef John/Giovanni

giovanni@buoncibo.online

www.buoncibo.online