Ancient and Iconic: A Brief History of Olive Farming in Puglia

The majestic grey green giants that dominate the Adriatic and Ionian coasts along the heel of Puglia are a vital part of the region’s identity dating back to at least 5,000BC. The first traces of olive consumption were discovered thanks to fossilized olive pips in neolithic rock during excavations of the Torre Canne.

By 2,500BC trading of Puglian olives became widespread in the Mediterranean basin thanks to the Phoenicians and Greeks and remnants of olives in Messapian tombs confirm they were offered as the food for the final journey, testifying to their spiritual and symbolic importance.

Between 266BC and 27BC, the Roman Republic expanded olive cultivation in Puglia, furthering the value of olive oil which was used as a medicine, food, fuel for light and in soaps and beauty products.  And following this, Puglian olive oil was supplied to the entire Roman Empire. During this era, to uproot an olive tree held the sentence of death.

During the Early Middle Ages (between around 400AD – 550AD) there was a notable decline in the distribution of olives due to inconveniently large containers that the market eventually rejected. But by the time of the Byzantine Empire, the industry and groves were restored and Puglian olive oil was traded once more thanks to the Venetian seafarers.

By the year 1,000AD, the Puglian olive oil trade had become very valuable once more with vast shipments leaving from the ports of Brindisi, Gallipoli, Otranto and Taranto destined for Venice, Tuscany, Genova and overseas to Russia, England and Germany.

Then in 1559AD, A Spanish Viceroy (Parafran de Rivera) ordered the construction of a road from Puglia to Naples, Calabria and Abruzzo to allow for faster transportation of the green gold.

Between 1590AD and 1680AD there was a cycle of lower temperatures that led to a large decline in olive production. The whole of Italy suffered hugely during this period of climate crisis as agriculture failed and famine set in. However, thankfully at the end of the century, the agricultural economy recovered and olive groves once again flourished in Puglia.

And so, for around 400 years, the olive oil industry in Puglia ran at a pace, dominated largely by local and industry specific politics, not all of which have been particularly admirable, not all of which have been particularly honourable. But yet, some very great families have navigated this road with deep care and true pride, committing themselves to their territory and to making the very best extra virgin olive oil imaginable from the noble Coratina and Ogliarola Barese cultivars in particular.

As you will no doubt be aware, sadly, the Xylella Fastidiosa bacteria was discovered in 2013 in olive trees near to Gallipoli. It has caused devastation and continues to spread through Puglian olive groves. In the past 10 years, many millions of trees have been threatened and over 7 million trees have died.  I don’t think we can even begin to understand how this effects the local community that is so intertwined with the cultivation of olives.  Government and EU funds are making their way to the region, but there is still a great deal of work, research and collaboration to be done. Assassin bugs may help to consume the bacteria if introduced on a large enough scale, or cultivars such as Leccino may be proving to be resistant to Xylella, efforts are certainly underway.

Logistics, packaging, climate, politics and disease have dramatized the past 7,000 years of olive cultivation in Puglia. But both the industry and its people have proved to be resilient time after time. Perhaps we should look back more often to help us move forwards.