The olive tree is among the oldest cultivated trees in the world. Genetic and archaeological studies seem to indicate that its cultivation began 6000 years ago in the Mediterranean basin. Where exactly? That question is fairly difficult to answer, for if you ask a Mediterranean about the history of the olive tree, he will unfailingly tell you that it originated on his very land or was first cultivated by his own people… Nonetheless, the Phoenicians definitely played an important part in spreading the culture of the olive tree on the Mediterranean shores. From the 16 th century BC onwards, these adventurous sailors started disseminating the olive throughout the Greek isles, later introducing it to the Greek mainland between the 14th and 12th centuries BC. From there it reached Tripoli, Tunis and finally Italy. The Romans and the Arabs continued the expansion of the olive tree to France and Spain.

In the Mediterranean mythology, the olive tree and the art of olive oil making are worshiped as gifts of the Gods. Along with these presents, Lebanon shares with its Mediterranean neighbors the inheritance of numerous symbols and traditions. This collective legacy is a treasured one. The spiritual significance of olive oil, for instance, is common to all religions, and the strength of the olive branch as a symbol for peace and hope is universal.