Wild olive trees, or *oleasters*, grew abundantly in this area, and evidence suggests that domestication began as early as 6000 to 5000 BCE. The Minoans of Crete played a crucial role in spreading olive cultivation throughout the Aegean during the Bronze Age.
Olive Oil's Spread Across the Mediterranean World
Monasteries in Europe became crucial centers for cultivation and refinement during the Middle Ages, preserving the knowledge and techniques. Botanical evidence points to the Levant—the region encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and southern Syria—as the birthplace of *Olea europaea*.
Early inhabitants of the region likely cultivated these trees not for oil, but for their fruit, which provided a valuable source of nutrition. The Romans, ever the great adapters, embraced olive oil with enthusiasm, integrating it into every aspect of their lives.
Olive Oil's Mediterranean World Expansion and Ancient Roots
The story of olive oil begins not in a modern factory, but in the wild landscapes of the Mediterranean basin, where the olive tree first took root. It was a key ingredient in religious rituals, a base for perfumes and medicines, and a vital commodity for trade, making its production a significant economic activity.
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