According to Greek mythology, Athena Goddess of Wisdom argued with Poseidon God of Sea about the protection and the name of the new town which was built by Cecrops, King of Attica. It was decided that the town was going to be named after the God, who was going to offer the most valuable gift to the citizens, in front to other Gods.
The two opponents Gods stood up in the Acropolis hill. First Poseidon hit the hill with his trident and appeared a source with seawater. Then Athena hit her stick to the earth and appeared the olive tree, which had already plenty of olives. Athena gifted to citizens, the first olive tree of the world, which was considered as a promise for glory, peace and welfare for the city. Athena dominated the competition, so the city was named after her and she taught citizens the farming of the olive tree
Olive tree as a symbol of peace, wisdom, abundance, power fertility, is a holy tree and has been admired since ancient era. Also it was a symbol for the Olympics, so that’s why the winner of Olympics had been awarded with a hoop maiden by olive branch (Ancient Greek language «kotinos»).
The olive oil (juice of olives), was the winning prize for the Panathenaic Games, which was formed in order to honor Goddess Athena. This olive oil was collected from the Goddess Athena’s sacred olive trees (Ancient Greek language «Mories olives») .
The life giving olive tree is closely connected with the life and the nutrition of Mediterranean people and especially with Greeks. The main factors that has been boosting the growth of olive tree farming in Crete, has been its: privileged geographical location, temperate, climate and geomorphology.
Olive oil is an irremovable elementary of our cultural legacy and a precious good, which is connected to the human hard work. Olive oil, which was called by Homer as «liquid gold», is the base of the Greek Mediterranean diet and also is a great nutrition treasure with a variety of advantages for the human health.
«Μέγιστον ἀγαθόν πρὸς πᾶσαν τοῦ βίου θεραπείαν ὁ τῆς ἐλαίας καρπός»
It means that olive tree’s nuts are the ultimate good for healing everyone’s life problems.
Solon, legislator in Athens 6th cen. B.C.
