The history of olive oil from the Ancient Greeks to
today
Olive Oil Soap - would you get in a lather over it?
The Magic of Olive Oil by: Jeffrey Dorrian
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. Its 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 branches 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 potency 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.
About the Author
Jeffrey Dorrian is the soap guy. Really, that is my website
www.thesoapguy.com. He has been making premium
olive oil soap for the past five years and now has customers in all fifty
states. "This is a true inexpensive luxury anyone can enjoy.