History of Olive Oil Culture VI - Crete Island and Cretan People
16-04-2025
11:29
Photo; Fresco from the Bronze Age excavations at Akrotiri on the Greek island of Santorini, detail of the ship procession in the Western House, depicting boats in the Cycladic town and its harbour, 1600 BC, artist unknown, source .
During the three thousand years before Christ, the brave merchant seafarers of Crete and Phoenicia played an important role in the spread of olive culture to other peoples in the Mediterranean. There are depictions of olive trees in 3500-year-old wall paintings from the palaces of the Cretan kingdoms, and it has been understood from these paintings that the expensive oils were used in perfumes and ointments in ornate bottles. Workshop remains dating back to the Minoan/Cretan Civilization Period (2700–1050 BC) have revealed that press-arm presses were produced in Crete during the Bronze Age. In addition to the use of cosmetics, information on clay tablets from the Mycenaean civilization, the successor to the Minoan civilization, has shown that olive oil was used in textile production and tanning. Archaeological data has also shown that olive oil began to be used for cooking purposes around 1000 BC, but this use, which is related to the spread of olive cultivation, would become widespread 500 years later.
The two-meter olive oil jars found among the ruins of the Knossos and Phaistos palaces are archaeological evidence of the olive oil trade carried out by the Cretans, who built warehouses where tons of olive oil could be stored and had powerful trade fleets. It has been calculated that 23 tons of olive oil could be stored in the palace cellars. In those days, giant jars called “Pithoi”, made of wood or generally baked clay and used to hold olive oil, wine, olives and grain, were found in the same place as clay tablets, which provide information about where the olive oil trade was carried out at that time and where olive oil was produced.
The oil produced was exported by sea in amphoras, a type of ancient jar that was smaller than pithoi, easy to carry, and could have pictures on it. They sent olive saplings to Africa and Greece. It is believed that Cretan trade routes, which had trade relations with Egypt, Syria, and the Greek mainland as well as the Aegean islands (Cyclades), may have extended as far west as Italy and Sicily. The amphorae, which prove that the Cretans were important consumers and sellers, were decorated with olive branches and star-shaped flower pictures, and some, due to the close trade with Ancient Egypt, symbolized olive trees in hieroglyphic writing.
The first civilization to rise on the island of Crete, the Minoan Civilization, is considered the first example in history of the “palace economy” practice, which historians define as “the transfer of a large portion of the economic values created in society as an economic regulation system to the control of a central authority.” In the Akrotiri archaeological site on the neighboring island of Santorini, in the north of the island of Crete, very rich wall figures were found in structures covered with 60 meters of ash after a volcanic eruption. One of the findings considered evidence of an advanced and rich civilization is the wall painting of gray langur monkeys found in the Indus Valley of India. Archaeologists interpret this finding as evidence of extensive civilizational relations and trade covering a very wide geography. It is thought that this great eruption, which took place in 1650 BC, destroyed all life on the island and almost wiped out this city-state, which was shown as a part of the Minoan civilization.
From those times when the Minoan people living on the Aegean islands created a shining civilization in the Mediterranean to the present day, Crete is still uncompromising in the quality of olives and olive oil and ranks first in the world market.
Just as olive oil came from Crete to the Ottoman palace, those who came from Crete after the Population Exchange played an important role in Türkiye's olive cultivation. The Cretans have a well-deserved reputation for olives, olive oil and olive oil cooking for 5,000 years.
Compiled by: Uğur Saraçoğlu, Physician, Olive and Olive Oil Producer (ugisaracoglu@yahoo.com.tr)
Source:
1. https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2014/12/23/oldest-evidence-olive-oil-usage/ .
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During the three thousand years before Christ, the brave merchant seafarers of Crete and Phoenicia played an important role in the spread of olive culture to other peoples in the Mediterranean. There are depictions of olive trees in 3500-year-old wall paintings from the palaces of the Cretan kingdoms, and it has been understood from these paintings that the expensive oils were used in perfumes and ointments in ornate bottles. Workshop remains dating back to the Minoan/Cretan Civilization Period (2700–1050 BC) have revealed that press-arm presses were produced in Crete during the Bronze Age. In addition to the use of cosmetics, information on clay tablets from the Mycenaean civilization, the successor to the Minoan civilization, has shown that olive oil was used in textile production and tanning. Archaeological data has also shown that olive oil began to be used for cooking purposes around 1000 BC, but this use, which is related to the spread of olive cultivation, would become widespread 500 years later.
The two-meter olive oil jars found among the ruins of the Knossos and Phaistos palaces are archaeological evidence of the olive oil trade carried out by the Cretans, who built warehouses where tons of olive oil could be stored and had powerful trade fleets. It has been calculated that 23 tons of olive oil could be stored in the palace cellars. In those days, giant jars called “Pithoi”, made of wood or generally baked clay and used to hold olive oil, wine, olives and grain, were found in the same place as clay tablets, which provide information about where the olive oil trade was carried out at that time and where olive oil was produced.
The oil produced was exported by sea in amphoras, a type of ancient jar that was smaller than pithoi, easy to carry, and could have pictures on it. They sent olive saplings to Africa and Greece. It is believed that Cretan trade routes, which had trade relations with Egypt, Syria, and the Greek mainland as well as the Aegean islands (Cyclades), may have extended as far west as Italy and Sicily. The amphorae, which prove that the Cretans were important consumers and sellers, were decorated with olive branches and star-shaped flower pictures, and some, due to the close trade with Ancient Egypt, symbolized olive trees in hieroglyphic writing.
The first civilization to rise on the island of Crete, the Minoan Civilization, is considered the first example in history of the “palace economy” practice, which historians define as “the transfer of a large portion of the economic values created in society as an economic regulation system to the control of a central authority.” In the Akrotiri archaeological site on the neighboring island of Santorini, in the north of the island of Crete, very rich wall figures were found in structures covered with 60 meters of ash after a volcanic eruption. One of the findings considered evidence of an advanced and rich civilization is the wall painting of gray langur monkeys found in the Indus Valley of India. Archaeologists interpret this finding as evidence of extensive civilizational relations and trade covering a very wide geography. It is thought that this great eruption, which took place in 1650 BC, destroyed all life on the island and almost wiped out this city-state, which was shown as a part of the Minoan civilization.
From those times when the Minoan people living on the Aegean islands created a shining civilization in the Mediterranean to the present day, Crete is still uncompromising in the quality of olives and olive oil and ranks first in the world market.
Just as olive oil came from Crete to the Ottoman palace, those who came from Crete after the Population Exchange played an important role in Türkiye's olive cultivation. The Cretans have a well-deserved reputation for olives, olive oil and olive oil cooking for 5,000 years.
Compiled by: Uğur Saraçoğlu, Physician, Olive and Olive Oil Producer (ugisaracoglu@yahoo.com.tr)
Source:
1. https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2014/12/23/oldest-evidence-olive-oil-usage/ .
3. The Journey of Olive in the Mediterranean; Conference Proceedings, Dr. Alp Yücel Kaya, Ertekin Akpınar, 2016.
4. World Olive Encyclopedia; International Olive Council; Fausso Luchetti, 1997.