EVALUATION OF OLIVE TREE, OLIVE AND OLIVE OIL IN THE SCOPE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

The most important features that form the shared values of societies and distinguish them from other societies are their cultures. The increased communication between societies brought about by globalization causes cultural values to shift or vanish. These developments have given importance to studies on cultural heritage, which is vital in transferring cultural elements to future generations. The olive tree symbolizes victory, purity, power, fertility, life, freedom, and peace in many societies worldwide. For this reason, the olive tree, olives, and olive oil have been recognized as essential parts of cultural heritage. This study discusses the olive tree, the olive, and olive oil, one of the most ancient values of humanity, in the context of cultural heritage. The historical journey of the olive, its uses in daily life, its place in religion and belief systems, its importance for health, its use in culinary culture, and its reflection in art history are evaluated. While making this evaluation, the tangible and intangible elements of olives in culture are also discussed. According to the study results, olive products, starting from the olive tree, emerging as olives, and ending as olive oil, have been essential for all civilizations from the beginning of history to the present day. Considering the importance of olives and olive products, which have a deep-rooted historical and cultural past, it is imperative to implement measures that recognize olive-based values as a cultural heritage element.