THE OLIVE INDUSTRY OF BRONZE AGE CRETE: EVIDENCE FOR VOLCANIC DAMAGE TO OLIVE GROVES AND PROPERTY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN CRETE

Abstract

Olive wood, stone olive presses and clay spouted tubs, used for separating olive oil and water, are found on Crete in association with the Late Bronze Age archaeological evidence for earthquake and fire damage to property. Recovery of these artefacts suggests that the Cretan olive industry was adversely affected by the volcanic eruption on the neighbouring island of Santorini. The intention in this paper is to sketch the background to Minoan olive farming, and then to examine the archaeological evidence for connections between the Santorini eruption and the Cretan olive industry in the Late Bronze Age.