Oil

Historical elements for the oil

Ana'mesa in the karpofo'ra trees of Greek nature that played very important role in the economy, in the social development, but also in the adoration, in the doxasj'es and in customs, the first place it possesses olive.

From Neoljcjki' still Season appears that with the fruits of various trees it would become also collection of fruits agrjelja's. From the period in deed this we have also oldest until now samples from pollen of olive (Crete-Viotia).

The beginnings of cultivation of olive trees are usually placed in the 3rd km. p.H. Possibly preceded Crete. So much Crete, as much as Continental Greece from 14th and 13th aj. p.H. us they give testimonies for olive and the oil. In various settlements were found entire oil-stones that constituted remains of food. Also small quantities of olive-crop were found in vessels. Characteristic is the case of palace of Za'kroy in Eastern Crete, where olives that were found in reservoir of water rescued still their flesh charm in the favourable conditions of maintenance.

In the first type of Greek writing (linear B) we find information on the oil, that him used of course also in the diet, but mainly he was or aromatic or was intended as base for perfumes and ointments of body, that perhaps had also therapeutic attributes. It appears however that existed also craft-based uses of oil, p.h. in the tannage and in textile. Suitable also was also the oil as means of cleaning, as the soap, but also as preservative for protection of various surfaces. Still him they used also for lighting. The timber of olive was used also this: in building, in the manufacture of various objects and as fuel certain matter.

In this so much distant season, have been recognized also oil-presses, in Crete mainly. Were found lj'cjnes bases, in that existed a point by which was poured the liquid that was assembled in containers, in order to it follows the stage of segregation of water from the oil. For the compaction it will be supposed they used lj'cjna weights, that him hung from wooden doka'rja.

The storage of oil became in very big pjca'rja, that him we mainly know from the Cretan palaces and agrojkj'es. The most impressive example they are the western deposits of palace of Knwsoy'. It was calculated that their total capacity would exceed the 246.000 litres.

The olive was present and in the art of that season. It is portrayed in murals, but also in other types of art. In mjnwjki' Crete it appears that it had a religious symbolism, that was wide widespread in the historical years and where it perhaps sprang up through the attributes of olive tree (resistibility, longevity, aejcale's) and from the importance of fruit and his derivatives in various sectors of daily life. As we do not forget also the narrow connection of olive and Athina, as this us is acquaintance from the historical years. Country doubt that precisely because her important role in the Athenian economy was elected the olive in her holy tree Athinap.

The culture of olive and the use of oil were of course also continued in the historical years. The oil continued constituting a precious product, that played most important role in the economy of season and was used in various cases. For the oil of Thassos does not become particular reason, as p.h. for her xakoysto' wine. Sources our for this period are the discoveries of excavations, the written testimonies and the representations in vessels.

The olive oil continued be used in the production of perfumes. In texts are recorded materially also recipes of aromatic oil. In the jppokra'tejo code they are met above 60 pharmaceutical uses. It appears that the olive oil was particularly advisable for the illnesses of skin. The iconography 6th and 5th aj. p.h. it shows that the oil was means of cleaning. She is acquaintance a representation in vessel that is found in Berlin, where is portrayed a young person that pours oil in his hand and then it will use a special tool, stleggj'da, in order to it is cleaned. Were also useful however as means of smartening up. In Odyssey p.h. Telemachus, when it went in Sparta, the first night it was washed with water and afterwards spread with olive oil. Greeks put oil in their hair and likely in their clothes. Ploy'tarhos it reports that the olive oil gave shine in the white clothes. So much the olive oil, as much as the perfumes were also used in the funereal ceremonies. The women washed the body of dead and afterwards spread with olive oil or arwmatjsme'no oil. These with wine, honey and other products were offered in the graves, gifts for the deads.

Wonders no one what became in other basic sectors of consumption of oil, as in the food and in the lighting. The oil was not faj'! poor. The diet of persons in the classic antiquity was based mainly on the cerials. The riches had the privilege to consume less cerials and him to substitute with other foods of their preference, particularly with oil, dairy products and meat. It was calculated that the consumption of oil for food from the riches in the antiquity was roughly 24-35 kilos oil for each individual the by year's. As long as for the lighting it was supported that the use of oil in the oil lamps they were infrequent up to the end 7th aj. In the Odyssey we know that the lighting became or with torches or with the help of hearth. The alone oil lamp that it burns with olive oil is the holy light of Athina. Afterwards 6th aj. p.H. is realised a increase of use of oil in the lighting. The rich artificial lighting the night should be privilege of only riches in the antiquity, kacw's in order to is litted up a big house, it needed a lot of oil lamps and oil, that it cost a lot.

However in all the ancient Greek world the sector that is related particularly with the oil they are athletic activities and this relation it begins from the habit of young persons and athletes spread for reasons of hygiene their body with oil before the daily exercise in the gyms. This habit him we know not only from the ancient texts, but also from abundant representations in Attic vessels. In Athens specifically the relation of oil with the sports was much narrower.

There in the athletic fights that became each 4 years at the duration of Panacinaj'wn, the big feast to price of protector of view Athina, the oil of olive constituted the reward that took the victors. Panathinaikos oil it was shared in the victors in big and painted earthen vessels, that him named Panathinaikos amforej's. In their side they portrayed the view Athina,in the other the agw'njsma in that would be given the vessel as reward. This vessels were states and the responsibility of manufacture and their handing-over had the responsible bodies of Athenian state. For the quantities of oil that they took as reward the victors us informs a most important sign of the 380 p.H. roughly from Citadel, where is reported the precise number full with oil of vessels that was given in the first and second victor. Thus p.h. we see that the victor of street of speed took as reward 70 amforej's where each one hwroy'se around in the 35-45 kilos oil. It would around gain consequently in the 2,5 tons oil. The first victor in armatodromj'a would gain roughly 5 tons oil. These so much big quantities of oil it was impossible they are consumed by himself the victors. More likely it was that part of oil was channelled in the market and in particular in export. We still know that the 70 amforej's attributed 840 Drs. With base his per diem craftsman, that was 1 Dr. it becomes obvious that willing the victors would sell full oil Panathinaikos amforej's, in order to they change in fluid their reward. With the reasonable ayti'.to reward in armatodromj'a it corresponded with day labors of at least 5 years. The sums however would be still bigger, because concerning the common oil, Panathinaikos he was sure coveted mainly in the foreigner markets. The fame of Panacinaj'wn, the holy character of oil and his sale by famous a lot of times athletes will be supposed ane'vazan very his price in relation with the common oil and at consequence the profits of victors. If we add the expenses of transport, the profits of tradesmen etc, we conclude that rich foreigners could only possess amforej's with Panathinaikos oil. The oil this appears that it came back in the athletic use, that dil. the young persons and the athletes spread with this their body. And perhaps athletes in distant gyms, as p.h. her Marseilles or her Kyri'nis kama'rwnan where spread with such oil, as today kamarw'noyn the children, that wear pana'krjva athletic shoes, that are advertized by stars the mpa'sket or football. By the data that exist symperaj'netaj that the city of Athens should each 4 years have shared in the athletes roughly 1.840-2.000 Panathinaikos amforej's. that in order to they fill needed around in the 66-72 tons oil.

The importance of therefore oil is obvious from the proj!storjki' still season. It is a product that is connected and today so much closely with the island of Thassos, ma and with entire Greece. It is the product of tree, that the view Athina offered in the residents of Attica, symbol of xe'hwris favour divine and that his klada'kj in the mouth of pigeon became for the Noah mark of compassion of God.