ythologies, epics, historians, literature - all have summoned olives and olive oil alike. The blind bard, Homer, called it "liquid gold." olive oil has been cultivated for millennia throughout the Mediterranean world, often thought to possess medicinal and even magical characteristics. The olive, native to Asia Minor spread from Syria and Palestine to the rest of the Mediterranean basin 6,000 years ago. It is among the oldest known cultivated trees in the world - being grown even before the written language was invented.

1400 years ago the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, is known to have advised his followers to apply olive oil to their bodies, and himself used oil on his head. The use of olive oil can be traced in many religions and cultures. It has been used during special ceremonies and its medicinal properties and benefits ensure over all general health. As a matter of fact, olive oil is one of the few foods that is non-offensive to all religions.

During baptism in the Christian church, holy oil, which is often olive oil, may be used for anointment. During the Christmas mass olive oil blessed by the bishop, "chrism", is used in the ceremony. Olive oil was used to anoint the Greek and Jewish Kings. The Greeks anointed winning athletes and to this day the tradition of placing an olive wreath on the heads of the best athletes in the world, as in the Olympics, is still followed. Olives and olive oil were once so important to ancient Greek cultures that only virgin boys were allowed to pick olives, one by one, from the tree. The olive trees on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem are reputed to be over 2000 years old.