Extra virgin olive oil Mediterranean history
Extra virgin olive oila Story born together with man and civilization, in the cradle of culture that we call the Mediterranean Sea. If traces of ancient oil mills had long been unearthed, the discovery of an Israeli expedition to Galilee, concluded in 2014, opens up new scenarios on the common path of oil and ancient human history that leads to our beloved extra virgin olive oil.
Oil residues have been found inside 20 ceramic amphorae, some dating back to around 5800 BC, but the even more surprising thing is that the quality of the oil seems to resemble the current extra virgin in everything. Following back in the footsteps of the past, the primacy belongs to the archaeological site of Kfar Samir, where the remains found with traces of oil date back to 7700 years ago. A species of olive tree would have been domesticated in ancient times, while the extract may not have been produced for food purposes, but for lighting.
Greece is known for its thriving production of olive oil, so much so that the famous archaeologist Heinrich Schlieman found olive pits in the palaces of Tirino and in Mycenae. Thanks to the Phoenicians and the Greeks, the olive trees penetrated into Italy and it was the Roman Empire that gave the greatest impetus to the development of their cultivation.
