History and Mith

Olive is a plant of the family of Oleaginous from asia minor , it is currently cultivated in every country of the Mediterranean sea and also in america (California) . It is the symbol of peace according to the book of Genesis and it is still present in the rite of Palm-Sunday. The olive is a sacred plant for many civilizations. In Greece the laurel crown of a winner in the Olympic games were made with a branch of an olive tree:During the Pianepsiae feasts in Athens olive branches were taken in a procession: The olive plant was thought to have fecondative powers: the statue of Damia and Auxesia were made with olive wood , and these divinities were concerned with the soil fertility.In ancient Rome olive branches were often used in purification ceremonies. A myth deals with the fact that a harsh dispute arouse between Poseidon and Athena for the dominance on Attica and for the right on the construction of the temple on the Acropolis in Athens. They asked Jupiter for a judgement .

He answered that the right on the construction would be granted to the one who could create something useful to man. Poseidon created the horse and Athena the olive tree. Jupiter preferred the latter and so the temple was dedicated to Athena and the Olive tree became Athena's holy plant.

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