The Importance of Olive Oil in Palestinian Culture

The olive tree contributes to the cultural and economic life of Palestine. Olive pits, the heartstones in the center of the fruit, have long been repurposed to make strings of prayer beads used by Muslims and Christians alike. The wood of felled trees has also been widely used in the carving of religious icons as far back as the 16th century. In fact, the glass makers of Hebron, who are famed for their stained glass, use charcoal derived from olive trees to fire their kilns.