The Archaeology of Olive Oil Production in Roman and Pre-Roman Italy

Black-figure amphora with olive harvest scenes, produced in Attica ca. 530–510 BCE and attributed to the Antimenes Painter, though found in Italy at Toscanella; Berlin, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Antikensammlung F 1855, acq. date 1827 (J. Laurentius; courtesy Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; CC BY-SA 4.0).

This article provides a comprehensive synthesis and re-evaluation of the archaeological evidence for olive cultivation and oil production across Italy from prehistory through the Roman era. Italy is often neglected in studies of ancient olives and oil, with greater focus given to the eastern Mediterranean or Gaul, Spain, and North Africa. Extant studies on Italian … Continue reading The Archaeology of Olive Oil Production in Roman and Pre-Roman Italy

American Journal of Archaeology