Today, we"re not just offering you an olive branch—we"ve got the whole tree. November 26 is World Olive Tree Day, so we"re taking some time to appreciate this amazing plant. Olive trees were first cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean around 8,000 years ago. From there, they were spread to the Greek islands and mainland by the Phoenicians, then further afield, reaching Spain and the western edge of the Mediterranean by around 1000 BCE. The olive branch has been a symbol of peace since ancient times, and olive trees have been grown for their oil, wood and fruit for millennia.
Celebrating World Olive Tree Day
Today in History
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Turtle-y nice day for a swim
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Tibetan New Year
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Atlantic spotted dolphin near Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
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The Three Musketeers Falls at Iguazú Falls, Argentina
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More of a moustache than a beard?
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Baia del Silenzio in Sestri Levante, Italy
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Ceiling of the Temple of Esna, Egypt
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Burns Night
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Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, USA
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An underwater paradise
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Passing with flying colours
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Medieval towers in Mestia, Upper Svaneti, Georgia
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Here we go!
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Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand
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Tis the season for travel
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The lonely castle
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The sun sets on British Summer Time
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Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
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Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
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World Rainforest Day
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International Archaeology Day
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Buildings on Grand-Place Square in Brussels, Belgium
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International Tiger Day
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