According to mythology, the controversy between Poseidon and Athena on the name of the city of Kekropa
(of Athens, as it was later called) led Poseidon with a strong hit with his trident to create a small lake while Athena
planted the first cultivated olive tree on the barren rock that filled with olives. The Athenians chose the olive tree, they gave
their city the name of the deity, and while they lacked water, they prospered because of the blessed fruit of the holy olive tree.
From this first sacred olive tree the first Athenian olive groves were created. These trees called them Mories
(from the molecule-piece) since they all came from transplants. The olive oil of these holy oils was given as a prize
to the Panathinaio winners. The importance of the olive for Athens was so great that the Athenians in their coins depicted Athena
with an olive wreath in her helmet and an amphora with olive oil or olive branch.
The first extractions of olive oil were made in the “Leneon” (ancient stone pigeon) in which
there were placed two large rotating stones where the olives were pulped.
The rotation of these stones was done manually and much later mechanically.
After the pulp, the oil fell mixed with water from the threshing floor into a special trough.
The separation was made from the top, as the water was in the bottom.
The first oil was called "tears" and used as a medicine!
For the Greeks olive tree it is not only economic significance that defines the productive map of several regions
from the Minoan years to today. . It is a symbol of longevity and stability. The symbol of toil, patience and endurance
to hardships. It is above all the sacred tree, since its product carries the divine Grace to the baptized Christian.
In Russian Orthodox baptism, too, in the sanctuary water of the baptism, oil is added to protect the baptized
by magic and negative influences.
Another tradition says that Hercules, when he finished his labours
of the Northern Balkans, brought from the land of Istron (Dunes)
an olive branch which he planted in Olympia.
That shows first of all that the Greeks came into contact
with wild olive trees and not with simple olive trees and subsequently
how the Oleaster stretched quite farther north than today.
The existence of the wild olive trees both North and so far from the warm
sea of the Aegean Sea, was impressive for the ancient Greeks.
With the branches of this wild olive tree, they wore the Olympians
in Ancient Greece as a symbol of victory, wisdom, peace, prosperity,
repentance and fertility.
The athletes were polished with oil before the races because
they believed that they would perform better and win the victory prize.
In honor of this relationship of Hercules with the first olive tree,
at the Roman period, existed on the island of Delos and a temple
with a statue dedicated to (Hercules Olivarius).
The olive tree is undoubtedly a symbol - the foundation of
the Mediterranean cultures.
In this myth probably witnessed two events:
Firstly that the domestication of olives was in Greece
and by extension that domestication was by Greeks themselves.
