The Olive Tree and the 2004 Olympics

In this year's Olympic Games in Athens, winning athletes are awarded olive wreaths. These wreaths, called “kotinos”, mirror the sacred prizes awarded to champions at the ancient Olympic Games. Coloured in blue and white, the kotinos is also the emblem of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

The olive tree has been a principal commodity of the Greek economy for thousands of years. Along with being an essential part of the Hellenic diet, olive oil has been used for medicine, cosmetics, lighting and heating. It is known that early Olympic athletes coated their bodies with olive oil to protect their skin.

The olive tree: a fitting symbol for the XXVIII Olympiad.

Links:

• The Olive Tree - an informative article about the olive tree and Greek culture from the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs


• Olympic Emblem 2004 from the official website of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games


• More on the Olympic Emblem 2004 from Olympic Spirit Toronto


• Athens Basks in Year of the Olive, a Reuters article

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 9:46 PM on August 18, 2004

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