The Classical Era and Beyond By the time of ancient Greece, olive oil was deeply woven into the fabric of society. This period marked olive oil’s evolution from a local staple to a valuable commodity, forming the backbone of the Minoan economy and influencing trade networks across the Aegean.
Olive Oil's Role in Classical Society Integration and Trade
They moved beyond simple subsistence cultivation and developed sophisticated methods for large-scale production, storage, and trade. The iconic frescoes found at sites like Knossos depict elegantly clad figures carrying amphorae filled with the precious liquid.
The Mycenaeans of mainland Greece adopted the practices, and soon, the olive tree and its oil were integral to the cultures of Cyprus, Rhodes, and beyond. Archaeological digs at sites like Tel Megiddo and Ein Zippori have uncovered stone tools and pottery fragments dating back to the 4th millennium BCE, strongly indicating that olives were being pressed for oil.
Olive Oil's Role in Classical Society Integration and Trade
The transition from wild harvest to cultivated grove likely began around 6,000 years ago. The Birth of Domestication in the Levant The earliest definitive evidence of olive domestication comes from the Levant, encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria.
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