Olive oil
- We all know that Mediterranean is the cradle of oil which has become jointly with wine, one of its great symbols. The most ancient oil amphora we know about was found in Crete. It seems that olive tree crop originated in the east (Turkey, Syria, and Palestine), but some scores of centuries before Christ it was extended towards Greece, Sicilia, and Maghreb... The Roman Empire promoted its arrival to all the corners of Mediterranean and the expansion of Arab world boosted it even more. For example, many Spanish words related with oil (the very same "aceite, aceituna, almazara") are of Arab origin.
- In the Hebraic culture, the oil unction conferred authority, power and glory before God. Today oil continues playing an important role in different rituals either Jewish, Christian or Muslim.
- In Greek mythology, olive tree was a gift of gods. Goddess Athena made it emerge from the earth, and as appreciation for the gift, which was symbol of warrior resistance and nourishment, the city of Athens was called after her. Homer already referred to oil as liquid gold.
- Besides being nourishment and a religious unction, the Mediterranean culture has used the olive oil as a cosmetic product, as fuel for lamps and to make soap.
- According to the data of the International Olive Oil Council, in the campaign 2006/07, the 97% of worldwide olive oil was produced at the Mediterranean countries, although olive trees are grown up all over the world, in California, Chile, South Africa, Australia, China and Japan... Spain is producing almost half part of it (44% in the campaign 2006/07) and together with Italy and Greece, they reach 72%. The next productive countries are Turkey, Syria and Tunisia, with a 6% each. The main olive region is Andalusia, which was already an important supplier of oil to the whole Roman Empire.
- The Mediterranean countries consume a 73% of the olive oil produced all over the world, although there are quite big differences in the consumption per inhabitant.
10/06/2010 - 19:28
