I Am The Daughter Of The Sun
I Am The Olive Tree,
The Blessed One.
Kostes Palamas
Greek poet
Different nations have different symbols for the olive tree. One common symbolism associated with the olive tree, is PEACE!
The goddess of peace Irene, the daughter of Zeus and Themis, always was holding an olive branch in her hand. The couriers of piece, in war periods, went where they were send, holding an olive branch.
The olive tree is the symbol of wisdom. It was a gift from goddess Athena, the wisest daughter of Zeus and Metis. Metis means “Wisdom” or “Thought”, so Athena should be called the daughter of Wisdom not goddess of Wisdom.
The olive tree was the symbol of victory and the ancient Greeks crowned the Olympic Game Winners with a wreath (the Kotinos), made by olive branches, cut from the same olive tree, grown at the western part of the Temple of Zeus, by a pure, young boy, using a gold sickle. It was the most prestigious prize to get. The Kotinos still is a distinction of morality for the Greeks. They also rewarded the winners of Panathenaea, a sporting event in honor to goddess Athena, with an amphorea, which was a bottle (lecithy) filled with olive oil.
It is the symbol of light. Olive oil was used to light the lamp, so it is considered the symbol of light.
The symbol of wealth and prosperity. Its products brought income. Olive oil production was very important in the economy. Olive tree and olive oil revolves around the agricultural economy in the Mediterranean countries. The Greeks were the first ones to prosper from olive oil.
The symbol of fertility. Newlyweds were offered bread and olive oil. In the traditional medicine, olive oil was considered an aphrodisiac and an antidote to sterility.
The symbol of balance. The Celts believe that the olive tree is the tree of balance and dedicated to it the 23rd of September, because that specific date has 12 hours day and 12 hours night.
The symbol of health. Olive oil is very valuable to health and that is known for thousands of years. Hippocrates the father of Medicine in 400 BC, prescribed olive oil for many ailments.
The olive tree is the symbol of power, based on the fact that it lives long, simple and resistant life. In Italy according to rumors, there is a tree about 2,500 years old. It is the reminder of forgotten times and legacies and a witness of events gone by. This olive tree along with the two olive trees in Thebes, Greece, which are over 2,500 years old also, have seen and survived natural disasters, diseases, wars, and they still give fruit. That’s another reason of being considered a symbol of patience and tranquility.
The symbol of hope. The dove returns to the ark, holding an olive branch in its beak, bringing hope with the announcement of the end of the flood and the end of Noah’s cruise. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, which was an olive orchard, according to the disciples.
The symbol of longevity. The ancient Greek philosopher, Democritus 460 – 370 BC, believed that olive oil and honey prolonged a man’s life to 100 years. Don’t forget that life expectancy at the time was 40 years. Also the Greek philosopher Theophrastus in 300 BC, the historian Plutarchus in 100 BC and the god of medicine Asclepius have praised olive oil and its amazing healing properties.