Olive harvest, Mycenae, Greece. The olive, known by the botanical name Olea europaea, is a species of small tree in the family Oleaceae. Olive trees in the groves around the Mediterranean Sea are centuries old, with some dated to 2000 years. Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the Mediterranean region as the source of olive oil. Fossil Olea pollen has been found in Macedonia, Greece, and other places around Mediterranean, indicating that this genus is an original element of the Mediterranean flora. Fossilized leaves of Olea were found in the palaeosoils of the volcanic Greek island of Santorini (Thera) and were dated about 37.000 B.P. The leafy branches of the olive tree - the olive leaf as a symbol of abundance, glory and peace - were used to crown the victors of friendly games and bloody wars. |