Τhe book focuses on the study and presentation of olive cultivation and on issues concerning the production, distribution and marketing of olive oil in the Eastern Mediterranean. This geographical area, apart from its roughly similar climatic and environmental features, was defined by the dominant political systems which imposed certain production and marketing practices on the olive and its products. Therefore a large number of areas in the Eastern Mediterranean basin have certain political and cultural characteristics ideally suited to the research and study of the olive-growing history of the region. The book consists of two distinct parts (Part I: Antiquity – Byzantium, and Part II: Venetian Occupation – Ottoman times – Modern times), overseen respectively by the editors of the book, I. Anagnostakis and Ε. Balta.
The 34 studies in Greek, English, French with extensive English summaries are arranged in chronological and partly geographical sequence. Studies reveal similarities and common elements in changes and interventions in olive growing, which makes the complementary contributions in the book a continuous read toward a better understanding of the history of the olive and olive oil over time.
Ι. Anagnostakis, E. Balta (eds), Olives and olive oil in the Eastern Mediterranean, from antiquity to pre-industrial times, Athens 2020
Read a sample
Ι. Anagnostakis, Oleiculture in Late Antiquity and Byzantium. Publications in 2006-2016, pp 75-80.