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The Ancient Roots of the Olive
The olive tree, a symbol of the Mediterranean, has accompanied human history since the Bronze Age, when it began to spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. Considered by the Hebrews as the “tree of life” and already mentioned in the Old Testament, the olive found in Apulia a fertile and favorable land, making the region one of the most important centers of olive cultivation. Even in ancient times, Apulian oil was exported to Cisalpine and Narbonese Gaul, a sign of its economic and cultural significance.
Olive cultivation between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
Between Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, olive cultivation spread mainly in ecclesiastical environments and noble estates, driven by religious needs: oil was indispensable for liturgy, illumination, and dietary restrictions during Lent. Although primarily destined for the wealthy classes, it also entered popular cuisine, as shown by 14th- and 15th-century cookbooks recommending its use both raw for salads and legumes, and in various fish preparations. Beyond food, olive oil was employed in soap-making, in the processing of wool and leather, in medicine and pharmacology, as a soothing agent or excipient, and in cosmetics.
Apulia and the heritage of olive trees
In Apulia, especially along the central coastal strip, the olive tree became an integral part of the agricultural landscape as early as the 12th century, with the creation of extensive oliveta often protected by dry-stone walls. Today, with more than 60 million olive trees, the region is Italy’s leading producer of extra virgin olive oil. This “green sea” tells millennia-old stories: from Neolithic communities who used olives as food and a source of light, to Greeks and Romans who traded oil as a precious commodity. Even today, Apulian olive trees, venerable guardians of tradition and memory, continue to nourish and illuminate, turning every drop of oil into a symbol of culture, nature, and passion.
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