Olive – Olive oil Halkidiki – Greece
According to Homer, olive cultivation goes back to prehistoric times. What is known is that the olive has been cultivated since 3000 BC. In Halkidiki, olive cultivation and olive oil production have a long history, which dates back to ancient times. There are indications of its existence in many historical references of the Hellenistic, Roman and early Christian periods, while the archaeological dig has occasionally brought several findings that testify to the relationship and bond of the inhabitants with the olive tree. In many archaeological sites of Halkidiki, stone oil mills have been identified, which prove the occupation of the inhabitants with olive growing and oil production. During the Bronze Age, stone rollers that were operated either by hand or with a wooden lever first appeared, while later the roller crusher that could be operated by animal power appeared. Then introduction of the vertical millstone is very important because it presupposes the use for the first time of rotary motion in a conversion machine. The oldest example of this type comes from Olynthos in Halkidiki and dates back to the 4th century BC. It is therefore one of the oldest proofs of the operation of this oil production method. Towards the middle of the 19th century, the systematic involvement of the Chalkidians in the olive growing sector began. The causal relationship of Halkidiki with the olive tree, as a productive tree and as a fruit, is also supported by the centuries-old cultivation and production of olive products in the region based on documented historical evidence, but also by the preservation to this day of a multitude of folklore traditions. The olive tree in Halkidiki, during at least the last two centuries, has been an important point of reference, both in the economic life and in the social activity and cultural tradition of the inhabitants. The olive fruit has been a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, abundance, health, strength and beauty since ancient times. The ancient Greeks considered olives to be a symbol of goodness and kindness, while to this day olive branches symbolize peace. Olive cultivation and Halkidiki are inextricably linked throughout the centuries and an important element of tradition!
