In Ancient Pompei the Romans used olive oil for washing their hair. In Ancient Rome, the olive oil traders dedicated a statue and a temple to Hercules Olivarius and the dead were traditionally decorated with olive boughs. Olive trees can be seen as a symbol of tradition .
In Dalmatia, you can see the olive tree. It is a tradition. In Kastel Stafilic ( near Split), there is the oldest olive tree in Croatia, more than 1500 years old. It is supposed that it has been brought from the South Italy or Greece.
This is one of the reasons why the olive tree is regarded as a symbol of patience: looking at an olive tree gives a feeling of serenity, peace and tranquility. Furthermore, the olive tree is the symbol of immortality: it gives power to kings and priests, and it’s boughs crown heroes and Olympic champions.
The tree of health: The value of olive oil to the health is widely known for centuries. The olive tree symbolizes power and health. This symbolism is totally accurate due to the fact that olive trees are long-lived, simple and resistant.
The tree of hope: In the Old Testament a dove returns with an olive branch in the ark, in order to announce the end of flood and bring hope to people.
The tree of fertility: In folk tradition of Greek medicine the olive oil is considered to be aphrodisiac. People offered to new couples bread in oval shape were they previously purred the first oil of the year, as an antidote to sterility.
The tree of wealth: For many families the olive trees and their products represent the main source of income.
The leaves from olive trees can be useful in tea production. It is healthy.
You can prepare:
Pestle the leaves and pure 1 or 2 spoons in boiling water. Five or ten minutes later leech and add some sugar or honey. The tea from olive trees can become very bitter if you boil it much time.This tea gives you much energy and it is recommended for adults to drink one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one at night, for young children one cup of tea per day and for school students one cup in the morning and one in the evening.
The importance of olive oil to the people of the Mediterranean is reflected in their writings and even their laws. The Greek poet Homer called it “liquid gold.” The Greek philosopher Democritus believed a diet of honey and olive oil. In the sixth century B.C. the Athenian legislator Solon introduced laws protecting olive trees.
Olive tree, it is a symbol of Dalmatia.
Due to favorable natural and geographical conditions, olive production in Croatia has a long tradition. During the period of about the last six centuries, it has developed into one of the most important economic sectors of coastal Croatia. It is considered that the first cultivated olive trees were brought to the East Adriatic coast in the 4th century BC. They were planted on the other islands and on the part of shore with same natural characteristics.
On a great number of Croatian islands, mostly those situated in the Middle or South Adriatic (Hvar, Brač), during the summer there is a long period characteristic by little or no rainfall. In addition, those islands are mostly composed of calcium-carbonate and dolomite, which is the main reason why there are no surface flows and all the water that comes from the rain goes into the subsoil. Since olive is a cultivar that does not demand a great quantity of humidity and is perfectly adjusted to the natural conditions of the coastal part of Croatia.
Olive oil holds a wide variety of antioxidants which are specific to olive oil only. It is considered to have a protective effect for the digestive tract, malignant tumors in breasts and prostate and reduces the risk of heart disease. It has been proven that it reduces the risk of coronary heart disease as it is rich in mono saturated fats. It raises the level of good cholesterol while at the same time lowering the level of bad cholesterol.
The olive oil is the best elixir of healthy.
