Olive oil – the “liquid gold” of the ancients is without doubt one of the valuable substances in our Origin Oil Pack
Historical past of Olive Oil
Based on an article revealed by Critiques in Environmental Science and Biotechnology the fashionable olive tree more than likely originated in historical Persia and Mesopotamia spreading in direction of Syria and Israel within the Mediterranean Basin the place it was cultivated and later launched to North Africa. Some students have argued that olive cultivation originated with the Historic Egyptians.
There are indications that it was first cultivated in Syria by a Semitic race, 6.000 years in the past, for information present that Historic Palestine was well-known for its olive groves, and exported oil to the Historic Egyptians.
The olive tree reached Greece, Carthage and Libya someday within the twenty eighth century BC, having been unfold westward by the Phoenicians. Till round 1500 BC, japanese coastal areas of the Mediterranean had been most closely cultivated. Proof additionally means that olives had been being grown in Crete as way back as 2500 BC. The earliest surviving olive oil amphorae date to 3500 BC (Early Minoan occasions), although the manufacturing of olive oil is assumed to have began earlier than 4000 BC.
| Copper age (sixth millennium BC) | First extraction of thick‐oily liquid from olive fruit for dietary functions |
| seventh millennium BC | Use of olive oil for beauty and primary medical functions |
| ninth–eighth century BC | Use for care of burned pores and skin, dermatitis, abdomen, liver and intestinal pains, and as solar safety |
| 776 BC | Within the first Olympic video games the winners of assorted competitions had been rewarded with an olive twig |
| sixth century BC | Solone decreed the primary regulation for the preservation of the olive bushes |
| fifth century BC | Tucide sustained “The Mediterranean individuals ceased to be barbarians after they started to domesticate the olive tree and grape vines” |
| 460–377 BC | Even for Hippocrates, father of western drugs, olive oil was extremely regarded |
| 106–43 BC | Cicero wrote of the wholesome points of “pinguis liquor olivae” |
| 70–19 BC | Virgil talked about the olive oil produced by “dolci olivi (the candy olive bushes)” from “mite lago di Garda (the delicate Garda lake)” |
| 24–79 AD | Pliny the Elder in his “Historia Naturalis” listed 48 medicines made with olive oil |
| 146–211 AD | Beneath the Roman emperor Settimo Severo: free distribution of olive oil was given to the city lots |
| 4th century AD | Beneath Constantine: no less than 250 bakeries and 2300 olive oil distributors |
| Center ages | The medical monks of the abbeys used preparations containing olive oil to deal with burned pores and skin and swellings, in addition to totally different infections |
| Renaissance | The jars containing olive oil had been current in all pharmacies |
| nineteenth century AD and right now | Olive oil remains to be used as a house treatment for a number of illnesses |
Sacred Use of Olive Oil
Olive oil was additionally used to arrange the holy anointing oil used for clergymen, kings, prophets, and others.
The Bible, not surprisingly. incorporates many references to the culinary and non secular makes use of of olives and olive oil. ln the Guide of Genesis the dove despatched out from the ark by Noah returned with an olive department. Right here it turned the good image of peace, indicating the top of God’s anger.
The importance of olive oil is documented within the Guide of Exodus, the place Moses is instructed by the Lord the way to make anointing oil of spices and olive oil. Throughout consecration, holy anointing oil was, poured over the heads of kings and clergymen, and it’s nonetheless used right now within the Roman Catholic Church, at baptisms and rites for the dying.
The sacred use of olive oil additionally prolonged into the preparation of meals used throughout sacrifices, corresponding to pure wholewheat flour kneaded with olive oil, which is talked about within the Guide of Leviticus.
One other reference displaying how vital oil olive was in Biblical occasions is given within the Guide of Judges. The bushes wished to elect a king to rule over them and they also selected the olive tree, however the tree refused by saying “and quit my oil by which gods and males are honored and go to sway over the bushes?”
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Christianity
The Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican church buildings use olive oil for the Oil of Catechumens (used to bless and strengthen these making ready for Baptism) and Oil of the Sick (used to confer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick or Unction). Olive oil combined with a perfuming agent corresponding to balsam is consecrated by bishops as Sacred Chrism, which is used to confer the sacrament of Affirmation (as an emblem of the strengthening of the Holy Spirit), within the rites of Baptism and the ordination of clergymen and bishops, within the consecration of altars and church buildings, and, historically, within the anointing of monarchs at their coronation.
Jap Orthodox Christians nonetheless use oil lamps of their church buildings, dwelling prayer corners and within the cemeteries. A vigil lamp consists of a votive glass containing a half-inch of water and stuffed the remaining with olive oil. The glass has a metallic holder that hangs from a bracket on the wall or sits on a desk. A cork float with a lit wick floats on the oil. To douse the flame, the float is fastidiously pressed down into the oil. Makeshift oil lamps can simply be made by soaking a ball of cotton in olive oil and forming it right into a peak. The height is lit after which burns till all of the oil is consumed, whereupon the remainder of the cotton burns out. Olive oil is a typical providing to church buildings and cemeteries.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes use of virgin olive oil that has been blessed by the priesthood. This consecrated oil is used for anointing the sick.
Iglesia ni Cristo makes use of olive oil to anoint sick (in Filipino: “Pagpapahid ng Langis”), it’s blessed by minister or deacon by prayer earlier than anointing to the sick. After anointing, the Elder prays for Thanksgiving.
Judaism
In Jewish observance, olive oil was the one gasoline allowed for use within the seven-branched menorah within the Mishkan service throughout the Exodus of the tribes of Israel from Egypt, and later within the everlasting Temple in Jerusalem. It was obtained through the use of solely the primary drop from a squeezed olive and was consecrated to be used solely within the Temple by the clergymen and saved in particular containers. In trendy occasions, though candles can be utilized to mild the menorah at Hanukkah, oil containers are most popular, to mimic the unique menorah.
Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen [1897]Medicinal Makes use of of Olive Oil
In addition to meals, olive oil has been used for spiritual rituals and medicines.
Hippocrates (460–377 BC), father of western drugs, olive oil was extremely regarded. Subsequently, Cicero (106–43 BC) wrote of the wholesome points of “pinguis liquor olivae,” and Virgil (70–19 BC) talked about the olive oil produced by “dolci olivi (the candy olive bushes)” from“mite lago di Garda (the delicate Garda lake).” Pliny the Elder (24–79 AD), in his “Historia Naturalis,” listed 48 medicines made with olive oil.
“Olive oil was used to provide each drugs and cosmetics: Hippocrates known as it “the good healer” and Homer “liquid gold”, Galen praised it for its optimistic results on well being.” (2)
“It is without doubt one of the greatest medicaments for delaying ageing, and can be a superb supply of phytochemicals together with polyphenolic compounds, squalene, alpha-tocopherol, carotenoid that will contribute to its general therapeutic traits.” (1)
Olive oil was additionally fashionable as a type of contraception; Aristotle in his Historical past of Animals recommends making use of a mix of olive oil mixed with both oil of cedar, ointment of lead, or ointment of frankincense to the cervix to stop being pregnant.
Within the center ages, the medical “monacus infirmorum (monk)” of the abbeys used preparations containing olive oil to deal with burned pores and skin and swellings, in addition to totally different infections (i.e., gynaecological): a big a part of these therapeutic indications had been included throughout the tenth–twelfth centuries within the texts of the “Scuola Medica Salernitana (Salernitana Medical College),” the primary western medical faculty. Within the Renaissance, this follow continued. In truth, the “Oleum” jar was current in all pharmacies since olive oil had acknowledged therapeutic properties in coronary heart situations, fever, anti‐diabetic, soothing, diuretic and hypertension 4, 5. Furthermore, throughout the nineteenth century olive oil was additionally used to deal with otitis, dermatitis, and eczemas. It was thought-about a light laxative and, till few years in the past, utilized by farmers as supply of vitamin D to deal with the rickets and pyorrhea, for neuritis, distortions, abdomen ache, to extract thorns, foot calluses, and hair loss. (3)
Sources
1. Maria Lisa Clodoveo, Salvatore Camposeo, Bernardo De Gennaro, Simone Pascuzzi, Luigi Roselli, Within the historical world, virgin olive oil was known as “liquid gold” by Homer and “the good healer” by Hippocrates. Why has this mythic picture been forgotten?, Meals Analysis Worldwide, Quantity 62, 2014, Pages 1062-1068
2. Caramia G. L’olio additional vergine d’oliva. Dalla leggenda al razionale scientifico degli aspetti nutraceutici [Virgin olive oil. From legend to scientific knowledge of the nutraceutical aspects]. Pediatr Med Chir. 2006;28(1-3):9-23. Italian. PMID: 17533893.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17533893/
3. Caramia, G., Gori, A., Valli, E. and Cerretani, L. (2012), Virgin olive oil in preventive drugs: From legend to epigenetics. Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol., 114: 375-388. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejlt.201100164
4. Hippocrates, The Writings of Hippocrates and Galen [1846]
Photograph: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen [1897] Wikimedia
