The Magic of Olive Oil
Most Americans are unaware that fresh olives are poisonous. They
must be cured in order to be safely ingested. Today olives are
an ancillary part of the average American diet, though they were
once the economic foundation upon which ancient civilizations
thrived. The ancient Greeks would judge a civilization on it's
competence in it's cultivation of olives.
They thought it had magical qualities, not only as a food or
medicine , but also as an emollient that athletes would rub all
over their bodies. Starting in about the 5th century B.C. olive
oil cultivation really began to flourish. Demand grew as more
and more uses were found for the versatile olive. . It's value
as an agricultural product was unmatched in the ancient world.
There are biblical references to olive oil as well. King David
had guards protecting olive groves and warehouses filled with
this precious commodity.
These ancient trees thrived on rocky Greek fields where other
crops struggled to survive. So precious were the trees in
ancient Greece that one could be condemned to death for cutting
down a tree. It was the staple trading commodity of the time and
special ships were built exclusively to transport it throughout
the Mediterranean.
Culturally olive braches were paced in the home to ward off evil
spirits. Olive leaves were worn to bring luck and prosperity to
the wearer. When consumed they were believed to ensure fertility
in women and sexual potentency in men Some of its uses included
mixing it with other herbs to produce both medicines and
cosmetics. Typically fennel, sesame, celery, water, cress, mint,
sage, rose and juniper were used in the manufacturing of these
compound products.
Ancient soap makers discovered when olive oil was mixed with lye
induced waters from volcanic streams, it produced soapy bubbles
and the origins of olive oil soap were formed. Through trial and
error over the centuries olive oil was shown to make an
excellent soap. Olive oil is rich in vitamin e which is a
natural protector of the skin. Olive oil in soap has a natural
ability to mix with water and go deeply into the pores of your
skin to give a wonderful cleansing that rarely happens with
other soap.
It has become the favorite ingredient for handmade soap for
today's crafters. Handmade soap from olive oil is a rare modern
treat, directly traceable to ancient cultures. Try it and you
will be pleasantly surprised by the mildness and skin soothing
properties. Handmade olive oil soap is readily available at
craft fairs, boutiques and on the internet.