Olive Odyssey Expedition

Julie, Colin and their son Leif sailing on the Mediterranean exploring the history of the olive tree.

Olive Odyssey was a quest to expose the secrets of the world’s most influential fruit. How did the olive tree spread throughout the Mediterranean and influence the world? How could greedy olive oil companies kill more than 1000 people? Why do Sardinians, who consume vast quantities of olive oil, have more centenarians than anywhere else?

Our team travelled by sailboat and overland from Spain to the Middle East, retracing the trading routes of early seafaring merchants to explore the lands sculpted by the olive tree and uncover how the olive first came to those shores. Working in partnership with National Geographic, Canadian Arts & Research programs and an Italian University we sampled ancient olive trees throughout the Mediterranean and conducted DNA analysis to help understand the history of the olive tree. We examined the cultural, culinary and historical importance of the olive tree to the lands in grows in, tasting delicious foods, examining ancient artifacts and speaking with renowned experts.

Julie documented the journey in the book Olive Odyssey – Searching for the Secrets of the Fruit that Seduced the World, which was published in Canada and the USA by Greystone in 2014. It received rave reviews from the Wall Street Journal to The Vancouver Sun. “Angus’s book, which sparkles with the sights, smells, tastes and stories of the Mediterranean olive, is as informative as it is infectious, ” said Library Journal.

The Influential Olive

The humble olive, all too often taken for granted on a slice of leftover pizza, is arguably the world’s most influential fruit. First cultivated some 8,000 years ago in the Middle East, the olive tree quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean and became an important commodity for empires that would help shape the modern world. Olive oil was not only a vital food to sustain the masses, but lubricated heavy machinery, sealed wooden ships, and fuelled lamps. The olive branch became a universal symbol of peace and reconciliation, adorned the heads of Olympians and accompanied kings in their grave. For millennia much of the world agreed with Homer in the Odyssey; olive oil was “liquid gold”.

Shortly after getting married, we journeyed 7,000 km by rowboat and bicycle, connecting our ancestral homelands of Scotland and Syria. The seven-month expedition ended at Julie’s families’ olive farm in the Middle East, and it was here that we were inspired with the idea for our next journey.

Surrounded by thousands of silvery-leaved olive trees, it was hard not to think about the role this miracle fruit has played in the development of Mediterranean cultures. Five thousand year old grindstones and earthenware jugs, once filled with olive oil, had been uncovered nearby. A short drive away lay the ancient city of Elba where 4,300-year-old clay tablets containing the first written reference to the olive oil trade were unearthed. The gnarled trees of the family farm were a part of that history that motivated us to learn more.

See Expedition Photos

The olive is one of the earliest domesticated trees and people have been using its products for over eight thousand years. Over time its popularity has increased, and today’s olive crops blanket more land than any other fruit. It is a universal symbol of peace and reconciliation and the records of civilization are rife with stories of its power and influence. Homer calls olive oil liquid gold in the Odyssey. In the bible a branch of the olive tree is brought to Noah to signify the end of the flood. The Quran praises it as a precious fruit.

The olive tree flourishes where most other crops fail, in arid rocky soil common throughout the Mediterranean. Some of the most important empires in shaping the modern world – the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Spanish – all ruled from lands bathed in the dappled shade of the olive tree. Due to its many important uses, olive oil was traded heavily and became a form of currency in some regions. The olive allowed agricultural towns to flourish in landscapes where little else could be grown. It also enabled artisans, tradesmen and writers to labour long into the evenings using olive-oil fuelled lanterns, thereby increasing productivity.

Watch the Olive Odyssey Trailer

While the olive played a significant role historically, its importance has not diminished in modern times. In fact, demand is now higher than ever as people learn more about its health, cosmetic and culinary benefits. High demand has created the world’s most corrupt food industry. False labelling, inaccurate classification, and shoddy production are some of the less serious offences. Others, fuelled by greed and the opportunity for quick riches, have gone so far as to create counterfeit oils using a concoction of chemicals and industrial lubricants. While the result can taste remarkably like olive oil, the health consequences can be deadly as demonstrated in Spain, where in 1982 almost 1,000 people died and 100,000 fell ill from ingesting a poisonous cocktail sold as olive oil.

The story of the olive is irresistible. It is rife with crime, steeped in history, and touted as one of the miracle health products of our era.

Read the Book

Our Odyssey

Beginning in Spain, we sailed eastwards to France and then to the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. From there we travelled overland to mainland Italy and Greece, Crete, Israel and the Palestinian West Bank. Our maritime voyage retraced ancient Phoenician trading routes, who many believe are responsible for distributing the olive tree throughout the Mediterranean. We stopped in ports that were under their control 3,500 years ago and explored ancient Phoenician colonies in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Palestine and Israel. We also visited inland olive growing regions to explore archaeological sites that document the first use of olive oil and examined ancient olive groves, such as those in Israel that are thought to be 3,000 years old.

When we began this journey is was not clear exactly where the olive tree was first domesticated or how it came to cover so much land throughout the Mediterranean, where 90% of olive trees now grow. However, advancements in scientific analysis such as DNA testing and carbon dating as well as the discovery and documentation of archaeological sites are continually providing clues to the answer.

One theory was that the Phoenicians, who lived in what is now Syria, Lebanon and Israel, traded not only olive oil throughout the Mediterranean but brought olive trees and the knowledge of how to produce olive oil to the colonies they created and populations they traded with. The highly sophisticated Phoenicians navigated the waters of the Mediterranean 3,500 years ago and dominated these seas for over a millennium. Archaeological remnants indicate they traded in olive oil and their colonies were often situated in regions where olive trees now flourish. Carbon dating indicates that the oldest olive trees still living are in the Middle East, while there are no living trees in the Western Mediterranean countries that predate the Phoenician expansion. Furthermore, DNA analysis demonstrates that olive trees in some Mediterranean countries were imported from elsewhere. Thanks to our research and the support of our partners we were able to gather evidence to bolster this theory.

Read Blog Updates from the Expedition

02Dec

Olive Odyssey Completed!!

In the cradle of civilization, where church bells chime, the muezzin’s prayer calls, and Judaism’s most holy site beckons, the story of the olive begins. Here, in what was once part of Phoenicia, now Israel, our expedition to uncover the story of the world’s most influential fruit draws to an end.History is palpable, presenting itself around every corner as mounds of stones, remarkably preserved ruins, pottery shards and even as living ancient olive trees, testament to the work of farmers hundreds or even thousands of years ago. It is here in the lands that are now Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel that methods for producing olive oil were first devised and where the olive tree was first domesticated some 7000…

04Nov

Start of Olive Harvest!

Olives ready to harvest Things have been pretty busy since our last update, but finally we’ve got a chance to catch up. We’ve just arrived in Crete, and have a few hours to put our feet up. We’ve left the boat in Sardinia, and are now travelling by public transport in order to keep to our busy schedule. Although sailing is the most exciting way to travel, it’s important that we get to visit the most notable locations tied to the history and cultivation of the olive before heading home at the end of Nov. One such location is the Mani Peninsula in Greece where we have just come from. We didn’t really know much about Mani apart from the…

14Oct

October Update – Sailing Sardinia

We’re now in the third month of our sailing voyage, and have reached the southern coast of Sardinia. Our latitude is 39 degrees north which means we’re still experiencing balmy temperatures (highs about 25 degrees), however, the winds are becoming much more temperamental.As we sailed down Sardinia’s sparsely populated east coast, we read of a 2000 year old description of the region by Pausanias which is just as appropriate today, “An unbroken chain of impassable mountains, and if you sail along the coast you will find no anchorage on this side of the island, while violent but irregular gusts of wind sweep down to the sea from the tops of the mountains.” While there are no anchorages for this 225…

05Oct

Exploring olive history in Italy

We’re currently in Perugia, Italy, an ancient city rich with Etruscan, Roman and Gothic architecture.It is an enrapturing city of narrow streets, capacious churches, and stunning architecture encircled by a towering wall that protected its citizens more than 2,000 years ago. Here we visited olive expert Dr. Luciana Baldoni and her lab, who are using genetic techniques to discover how the olive tree spread throughout the Mediterranean.It’s fascinating to apply this modern technology to these ancient tree and see how it can add to the story.Olive oil has been used in Italy for 3,000 years or more, imported from further east and produced here as well.But who first grew those olive trees and where did they come from?It’s a convoluted…

17Sep

Birthday in Cannes

Cannes, France, seems a` suitable place for a baby to celebrate his first birthday. It’s a hub of activity; people, boats, dogs, markets, music – everything a high-energy baby enjoys, so we were pleased to sail into Cannes harbour today to celebrate Leif’s 366th day of life. We’re celebrating Leif’s birthday with some of his favourite treats. Though a very fussy eater, his favourite foods are not what you expect – licorice, smoked mackerel and olives. And, since he loves music, we bought him a tambourine for a present. The new head gasket for the engine is holding strong. The job seemed to get more and more complex as we disassembled the engine with the most basic of tools. By…

03Sep

Out of Spain and into France

We’ve made to France!Our maiden voyage sailing 400 km from Barcelona to the Marseille region went well.Our 28’ sailboat, Isis, handled the open sea with aplomb, and the sailing rig is a dream – much more efficient than the boat I sailed across the Pacific 20 years ago.Our boat has an electric autopilot and a roller furling headsail, conveniences that make sailing with a baby possible. So what’s it like sailing with an eleven-month old baby?Not easy.While Leif took to the seas with enthusiasm, he’s a high-maintenance baby at the best of times, meaning a lot of precious time is spent tending his needs.The most challenging aspect is night sailing when someone needs to be on watch constantly.This can be…

24Aug

Sailing

Our paperwork is finally done, our boat is packed and the winds are in our favour. Within the hour, we’re going to hoist are sails and head towards France. Our time in Spain and Barcelona in particular has been filled with olive infused foods, hot days and preparations. The sky is cloudless and the temperatures will once again reach 36 degrees , there are no winds yet but in about an hour they will start. The weather is predicted to be good for the next day and a half and then a blow from the North is coming and we’ll need to find a safe spot to wait it out. Leif is adjusting well to life on the boat. His…

15Aug

Sailboat Living and Ancient Olive Trees

The sun continues to bake in Barcelona as we ready for our upcoming voyaging.Colin, Leif, and I have fully moved into our sailboat, and are loving life on the water.Our boat is situated in Port Olimpic Marina right in the heart of Barcelona.Within walking distance are wide sandy beaches, numerous shops, and the winding narrow streets of the old quarter of Barcelona.The marina itself is a bustling hub with numerous eateries, bars and a waterfront promenade.You can sit on the breakwater wall and see our boat in one direction and bronzed glistening bodies worshipping the beach in the other. Leif seems to be enjoying this new lifestyle.He can clamber freely within the confines of the boat, and is forever making…

10Aug

Boats, Olive trees and Pickpockets

It’s been ten days since Julie, Leif and I left from Comox, and we`re pleased to say we have finally found the boat we will be sailing the Mediterranean in.It’s a 28 foot Spanish-built Sumplast.The process of searching for the right boat has not been easy.Since arriving in Madrid, we’ve travelled almost 2500 km examining various boats for sale along the Mediterranean Coast.The process is made even harder by the fact that our Spanish is abysmal, and about half the proprietors speak no English.This is a typical inquiry phone call: “Losiento, no hablo Espaniol.Hablo Ingles ?“ “No“ “Uh…. Barco ?“ …and so it continues, as we struggle to work out the basics of the meeting time and place to view the boat.Unfortunately,…

23Jul

July Update – Olive Odyssey about to begin!!

It’s been a very busy month for Julie and me. Fifteen days ago I returned from my grueling row around Vancouver Island, and in twelve days we will be heading off on our four-month expedition Olive Odyssey. The voyage around the island was every bit as challenging as I expected. The goal was to circumnavigate the 1150 km perimeter by human power in less than 16 days 12 hours and 14 minutes, the record held by kayaker, Joe O’Blenis. Unlike other endurance quests, luck was an essential ingredient for success. The weather off Vancouver Island’s rugged west coast can be abysmal, and a gale blowing from the south for a few days would make it impossible to break the record.…