The Anastasios G. Leventis Foundation and the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia organise the 34th annual lecture in memory of Constantine Leventis titled The Archaeology of the Olive: From Antiquity to Industrialisation.
Speaking at the event on November 19 is Dr Sophocles Hadjisavvas, an archaeologist and former director of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus.
Talking about the upcoming lecture, he notes: “When, in the mid-1st century AD, Pliny the Elder praised Cypriot wine and the island’s olive oil, he surely did not realise that his words so clearly captured the timeless role of the olive tree in the identity and economy of Cyprus.
“The olive tree, a gift from the gods to humankind, has been a constant and silent ally of Cypriot civilisation and the everyday life of its people from prehistoric times to modern history. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that modern science, through systematic research, confirmed what folk wisdom had recognised and utilised for centuries.”
In his lecture, delivered in Greek, Dr Hadjisavvas will not aspire to cover the entirety of the so-called ‘culture of the olive’, as this term touches on almost every aspect of daily life. Instead, he will focus on its most characteristic and tangible dimension: the production of olive oil.
Particular emphasis will be given to the complex procedure of transforming olives into oil, as this process has left behind rich and impressive archaeological remains.
At the heart of the presentation are the earliest technological applications in production and the economic and social impacts of these practices on prehistoric societies, as well as their gradual technological evolution up to the industrial era.
Even if only briefly, the lecture will also touch on the olive tree’s imprint on artistic creation, thus highlighting its multifaceted and timeless significance.
The Archaeology of the Olive: From Antiquity to Industrialisation
34th Annual Lecture in Memory of Constantine Leventis. By Dr Sophocles Hadjisavvas. November 19. Constantine Leventis Auditorium, A. G. Leventis Gallery, Nicosia. 7.30pm. In Greek. Reservations required. Tel: 22-668838. [email protected]
Dining and Cooking