"Greek mythology describes a competition conducted by Zeus that would award patronage of Attica to the god or goddess who created the most useful gift. Poseidon gave the horse, powerful, swift and beautiful; Athena produced the olive tree, with its light-giving, soothing (and delicious) oil, welcome shade, and valuable wood, Athena became the patron of Attica, and her gift, the City Olive, was planted atop the Acropolis. The olive branch and olive oil became symbolic of all that was good and noble in mankind and of permanence and perseverance. Playing a role in everyday activities, ceremonies and celebrations. On foot, travelers applied olive oil to their feet, people attending banquets wore olive wreaths and were anointed with olive oil infused with spices and aromatics…..victors at the Olympic Games were given oil in special lecythi.
Exodus 30:22-33 reads: "…the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, take thou also unto thee principal spices ... and ... olive oil.... And thou shalt make it ... a anointing oil." Noah's dove brought an emblem not only of peace, but of regeneration with its olive twig (a sign, too, for Christians, that prefigured the resurrection).
To this day, Jewish synagogues and most Christian churches use the olive-based oil at many ceremonies."**
Through the centuries the olive tree, the olive and its oil has been regarded as part of the social and cultural traditions of every country and region in which it has been grown, harvested and processed.