The miraculous olive tree - eternal inspiration
The symbolism of the olive tree has always been present in various civilizations and religions. It has played an important role in history, in nutrition, economics, medicine, sports, mythology, religion, and art . This long-lived tree inspires artists all over the world.
I am also one of those who love this miraculous tree and its golden fruit. I am so fascinated by it that I have an entire jewelry collection inspired by the olive tree .
I love making motifs – olive fruit and olive branch , but also holding an olive tree in my hand and thinking about what shape I will give it. A fantastic plant that I love to look at and feel!
Today I will share with you the story of the olive tree. While researching, I came across many facts that I did not know, which only reinforced my opinion about the value of this miraculous plant of the Mediterranean.
Eternal tree
Did you know that an olive tree can live for thousands of years ? I have always been fascinated by its longevity . Even after 200 years, new, self-sprouted shoots sprout in the place of the old olive tree. The olive tree renews its leaves every 3 years, and bears fruit after 7 years. Experts say that it produces its greatest yield after 20 years.
It is so resilient that it defies people and the elements – for centuries and millennia. It thrives on scarce soil where water is sometimes not even enough to cure it.
Because of its exceptional strength and resistance to rot, olive wood has always been an ideal material for making furniture and tableware since ancient Greece and Rome. I love making jewelry from it.
People have been collecting olives since the Neolithic Age. Olive pits over 9,000 years old have been found in caves.
It is believed that the first olive trees were cultivated and transplanted 5000-6000 years ago in Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine, from where the olive tree spread to the Mediterranean, where it gained the fame of a divine plant and (remained) the most important plant crop and symbol of the Mediterranean to this day.
History says that the olive tree was brought to Greece by Phoenician and Egyptian traders. Archaeological excavations have confirmed that the first trees in Greece were planted in Crete around 3000 BC.
Lun olive garden
The oldest olive tree in Croatia can be found in the impressive Pag olive grove in Lun. The unique botanical oasis of olive trees has 8,000 trees. Until recently, it was believed that the oldest tree was 1,600 years old, but the Institute for Adriatic Culture and Karst Reclamation in Split discovered that there is an older olive tree in the same olive grove. Although it was believed that the thickest olive tree in the Lun olive grove was actually a symbiosis of two or three trees that grew together over time, DNA analysis revealed an incredible fact – it is a single tree that is about 2,000 years old , a tree from the time of Christ.
Do you know how to measure the age of trees? If a tree has a diameter of one meter, its radius is 500 mm, and one millimeter means one year. That tree is 500 years old.
Our Mastrinka
As a Dalmatian child, I grew up in love with olive trees. I have transformed that idyllic coexistence into my jewelry. The iconic olive tree is located in my hometown, in Kaštela. More precisely, in Kaštel Štafilić, for more than 1500 years, our Mastrinka , as we affectionately call it, has been a symbol of our region. The old olive tree or Olea Europea was most likely brought from Rome or Greece, and the fascinating fact is that there is no such variety in the wider region. It is 10 m high, has a crown diameter of 22 m and a girth of 6 m. Our olive tree is a protected natural monument. It grows in the yard of a kindergarten with a significant name – “ Olive Tree ”.
The value of olives
The famous Code of Solon treated the olive tree as a sacred plant and prescribed strict penalties for its destruction. Namely, it was forbidden to cut down more than 2 trees per year in an olive grove, and anyone who disobeyed this commandment or destroyed an olive tree without reason would have their property confiscated, they would be exiled, and some even face the death penalty.
The value of the olive tree in ancient times can be seen in Homer's metaphor – liquid gold – which has survived to this day. The olive tree was indeed once placed on a pedestal .
In Greece , it had a multi-purpose role. It was used for: preserving health, maintaining beauty, embalming the deceased, making offerings to the gods and the deceased, lubricating and making tools (axes), weapons and furniture . In the era without electricity, it was a source of light in herbal lamps. The father of medicine, Hippocrates , used olive oil to treat about sixty different diseases .
Greek athletes used to apply oil before exercising and competing to make their muscles more elastic and ready for physical exertion. Winners on the sports field would be given a wreath woven from olive branches and amphorae full of olive oil as a gift. Did you know that some winners, depending on the sport, received up to several tons of olive oil as a prize? At that time, it had a high market value , equivalent to today's gold , so such athletes would become rich overnight. During the Hellenistic era, olive oil was the most valuable commodity . Some ships were even built just to transport amphorae with olive oil , which are considered the first certified product in the history of trade and economics.
Victories on the battlefield were also rewarded with a wreath of olive branches, which was presented to military leaders.
Symbolism of the olive tree
In different cultures, the olive tree has the same or similar interpretation. The olive tree is a symbol of: peace, life, wisdom, abundance, eternity, learning and health .
Mythology
In mythology, the olive tree is an immortal plant created by the gods.
In ancient Egypt, they believed that the goddess Isis created the olive tree, and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia believed that it was the work of the supreme female deity, the goddess Ishtar . Among the Etruscans , the olive tree was a symbol of the goddess of love, health, and fertility , the goddess Turan .
The Greeks, on the other hand, believed that the first olive tree was created by the goddess of wisdom, intelligence, cunning and war , the famous Athena . There is a myth with two versions, and in both, Athena creates the olive tree. The story goes like this; Athena quarreled with the god of the sea, Poseidon, over Attica. Both claimed it, so the supreme god, the almighty Zeus, intervened. He decided to give Attica to the one who would give its inhabitants a more valuable and useful gift. According to the first version of the legend, Poseidon created a horse from sea foam, and according to the second, a source of salt water from a stone. The wise and cunning Athena in both versions of the story created the olive tree, and Poseidon could not compete with her in either version.
In Greek mythology, the olive tree is a particularly popular plant. It is a symbol of strength , so Hercules was armed with a club made of strong and resistant olive wood , and Odysseus blinded the Cyclops with an olive stake .
The olive tree is a symbol of fidelity and devotion in the story of Odysseus and Penelope, who faithfully waited for him without desecrating their marital bed made of olive wood, a strong and weather-resistant material, just as their marriage was resistant to all trials.
The symbolism of the olive tree in Christianity
The olive tree is simultaneously a symbol of glory, peace and the passion of Jesus .
One biblical story mentions trees that wanted to choose an olive tree as their queen because of its intelligence. The olive tree refused the honor because it was concerned about humans.
In Christianity, it is a symbol of God's providence and care for God's children. The olive tree signifies the righteous who has been blessed by God, and the glow of olive oil that is transferred to the face becomes a symbol of laughter and joy.
The dove carried an olive branch in its beak on Noah's Ark as a sign of the cessation of God's wrath and a symbol of reconciliation with people . This symbolism of the olive tree has transcended the boundaries of Christianity. It has spread so widely that today it is a generally accepted symbol of peace .
Did you know that according to the Bible, Moses exempted olive growers from the obligation of warfare?
The angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God, Jesus, holding an olive branch in her hand as a symbol of purity.
The olive tree is a tree of dignity and innocence .
Olive and the 4 sacraments
Did you know that olive oil is used in 4 of the 7 sacraments? Baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, and priestly orders (holy orders).
The olive tree is a symbol of glory and peace. The people welcomed Jesus in Jerusalem waving olive branches, so today, in honor of that event, Christians traditionally bring flowers and an olive branch for blessing on Palm Sunday. The branch is then taken home, and peasants and farmers also place it in the fields to protect their crops. Do you know what is done with the dried branches? The priest burns them, and then sprinkles the ashes on the faithful on Ash Wednesday, also known as Clean Wednesday.
Jesus spent the last hours of his life, aware of the sacrifice that awaited him, in the olive grove on the Mount of Olives. Throughout his life, he enjoyed spending time under the olive tree, meditating, praying, resting, and drawing strength. He was found in the olive grove, then condemned and crucified.
Olive oil, along with bread and wine, is God's gift to the faithful . In liturgical rites, the symbolism of the olive tree is spiritual strength and the outpouring of the abundance of God's gifts .
My olive symbolism
My olive symbolism is woven into the jewelry I make: rings , bracelets , necklaces , sets – made from olive wood or with an olive motif … Eternal inspiration. The olive has truly left its mark on my creativity, just as it is the mark of Dalmatia itself.