Olive

The Olive in Ancient Egypt


 * Egyptian Name:**

//Djet//, //Ddtw//, or //Zayit//

One of the most heavily-used oils in ancient Egypt, olives were brought to Egypt during the reign of the Hyksos. The Egyptian climate was not favorable to growing olives, and the majority of olives and olive oil had to be imported. An expensive fruit usually reserved for the wealthy, olives were eaten and the oil was used in cooking, lighting lamps, and for steeping flowers to make fragrant oil. Olive oil was considered to be the best body oil.

Olive oil jars were often labeled: "Olive oil from the great olive tree plantation of the House of the Millions of Years belonging to the King of Upper and Lower Egypt - from the Temple of Amun lying on the banks of his Ka." Ramses III is recorded as having planted an olive grove near the Temple of Ra at Heliopolis - "I planted olive groves for you in your town, equipped with many people to make pure oil, the finest in Egypt, in order to light the lamps in your holy dwelling." Olive leaves and twigs were used to make mummy garlands, such as the one found in Tutankhamen's tomb.

The Fruit of Ancient Egypt

The Fiber and Oil Plants of Ancient Egypt