The Rest of Greece

The presence of olive oil and olives can be seen in all areas of Ancient Greeks’ everyday lives. "The olive fruit is the greatest cure for any problem in life ". Minoan Crete supported a significant part of its culture on the cultivation, processing and trade of olive trees, while jars with traces of olive oil have been found in an ancient tomb in Naxos In the Odyssey, Nausicaa, the daughter of the King of Phaeacia, takes a flask of olive oil to use after bathing, while in her encounter with Odysseus the exhausted shipwrecked sailor rubs himself with olive oil, and is transformed into a hero who charms the young lady. In the Olympic Games, a wreath from a wild olive tree branch was the gold medal won by the Olympians.