The ancient olive trees on the Mount of Olives

These are probably the most famous trees in the world. They are situated in the yard of the Church of All Nations, also known as the Basilica of the Agony, which is at the foot of the southern side of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
The trees are magnificent with their twisted, picturesque trunks, full of twists and even hollow and inclining trunks. Despite their antiquity, there is no precise scientific knowledge about their age. The theories range from 800 to around 2,000 years old. It is possible that the trees are here from Second Temple times, and are remnants of the olive groves in the Kidron Valley. Without a doubt the site being in the hands of the Moslems and later the Christians, as well as it being guarded, protected and cared for helped in the preservation of the trees.
Christian tradition relates that Jesus prayed here during his final days. The thousands of Christian tourists who visit the site testify to the importance of the trees and the place.
The traveler, Bartlett, who visited Palestine in the mid-nineteenth century, describes the Church of All Nations in this way, “there is something unprecedented impressive in this place, where there is heavy silence, between the dense olive trees and the wall closing in on them in the east. For many generations, pilgrims have bent down here and kissed the trees while tears of joy ran down their cheeks. They took a piece of the tree as a keepsake...”
Pilgrims from the seventh century C.E. already speak about the trees. From the fifteenth century onwards, they are described as, “the largest and most ancient olive trees in the Land of Israel.” The site can be visited seven days a week between 10 and 12 o’clock.

One theory is : The Muslims cut down and burned the trees , leaving the vast root system intact.

The trees simply grew back , the branches are all over the time scale , range from 800 to around 2,000 years old.

Gethsemane Olive Trees Among World’s Oldest

A three year study conducted on three of the olive trees located in Gethsemane, Jerusalem, has shown that their trunks and branches are around 900 years old, making them among the oldest known olive trees.
The study, which was carried out by the Italian national research council in conjunction with Italian universities, examined samples from three of the eight olive trees that stand in the religiously significant garden. The samples indicated that the trees dated back to the mid 12th century, although it is thought that the roots may be even older than this.
Carbon dating indicated that the three samples came from the years 1092, 1166 and 1198 respectively. The remaining five trees could not be analysed as they have become so gnarled that the trunks are hollowed out, leaving only younger plant material.
The DNA analysis also showed that the trees all had an identical genotype, indicating they are likely have originated from a common ‘parent’ tree. This suggests that the trees were originally branch cuttings taken from a larger tree, possibly in an attempt to sustain their lineage. This practice is still common today.

There is some debate as to the accuracy of various techniques in ascertaining the age of olive trees. Many ancient olive trees around the world have not undergone reliable scientific testing, and the estimates of their true age vary greatly.

Two famous olive trees often lay claim to being the world’s oldest. The olive tree of Vouves in Chania, Greece, a tree that still produces fruit, is thought to be 2,000 years old according to tree ring analysis. However some scientists believe it is closer to 4,000 years in age. The other contender is the Al Badawi tree in the village of Al Walaja, Bethlehem, which is thought to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old.

The Garden of Gethsemane, (Gethsemane means ‘olive press’ in Hebrew), is an important location for Christians, Jews and Muslims. It is thought to be the place where Jesus Christ prayed before he was crucified and was later betrayed by Judas.
Although there are mentions of adult olive trees being present at this time in the Bible, it is unclear as to whether these are the same trees that stand in the spot today. Olive trees are capable of growing back from the roots if they are cut down, and there is also the possibility that the trees were replanted or replaced at some point over the years.
The age of the samples fits well with what is known of the period, based on travel chronicles of pilgrims. It is alleged that the second Gethsemane balisca was constructed around this period, and it seems likely that the garden was rearranged, resulting in renovation of the olive trees during the building process.

By Naomi Tupper on October 30, 2012
Filed in Olive Oil World