Athena Olive Tree Meaning
As a result the families who looked to gain fertility in their soils looked to this tree.
Athena olive tree meaning. The olive tree has been considered sacred by the greeks ancient and modern for thousands of years. The olive tree brought wood oil and food and became a symbol of athenian economic prosperity. Atop the acropolis of athens stands an olive tree that is a symbol of hundreds of years of dedication and reverence. Cecrops accepted this gift and declared athena the patron goddess of athens.
The olive branch is a sign of peace when made into a wreath it is a trophy for olympic athletes. In the v century bc the king xerxes of persia burned athens. Athena offered the first domesticated olive tree. Standing on the site of the acropolis the two were asked to offer the people of athens a gift.
What was athenas sybol. Poseidon struck his trident on the rock and produced a salt spring. A tem ple to athena polias of the city was built c 525bc hous ing a xoanon cult statue inside itself made from olive wood and a precinct cre ated for athena s sacred olive tree. Poseidon gave the city a spring of water and athena.
The olive tree is one of athena s symbols. Her symbol is the owl for wisdom and the olive tree because that is the gift she gave to athens. In greece the olive tree symbolizes prosperity and peace as well as hope and resurrection. Athena s plant symbol is an olive tree dork.
But the olive tree on the athen ian acrop o lis held extra impor tance com pared to all oth ers due to its divine prove nance. It was the sacred tree of the goddess athena and athens. When athena and poseidon were competing to be the patron of athens they both had to give one gift. The olive tree was the symbol of athens the city for which athena was a protector.