Long-lived Olive Trees

一直以來，西方的文藝作品經常引用橄欖樹作為榮譽﹑和平﹑希望﹑健康﹑財富等的象征。1896年，第一屆現代奧運會在希臘舉行，冠軍獎牌雕有希臘女神雅典娜像，手持由橄欖葉織成的花冠，以象征勝利。2004年，雅典奧運會火炬的外形是卷起的橄欖葉，像是向上噴發的烈火，表達了促進各國人民溝通的愿望。橄欖樹，別名齊墩果，它們的存活能力強嗎？它們的果實又有什么用呢？

The photo shows an olive tree specimen design on the gate to the Church of All Nations， believed to be about 900 years old. Because olive trees have no annual growth rings， determining a particular tree’s age can be challenging.

However， a study carried out by the National Research Council of Italy has shown， by carbon dating methodology， that trunks of a few trees in the Garden of Gethsemane， Israel （behind the rock walls of the Church of All Nations） are around 900 years old. Roots of these trees may be even older.

Olive trees tolerate harsh growing conditions and can even renew its canopy following a fire. Its fruit was once an important source of food for local populations and its oil has long been used for lighting， as an ointment and as an important ingredient in soap production.

Vocabularies