The stone used by Palestinians in the first stage of the olive pressing process
The people of this land always felt an unbreakable bond to the land and the olive tree was there to seal that connection
The oil press stone (“Al-Badd Stone”) is a big round stone that runs inside a big basin made of stone, used by Palestinians in the first stage of the olive pressing process.
The olive tree is a sacred tree mentioned in the Holy Koran and in the Bible and is considered one of the oldest plants to be used by man, dating back 8000 years. It was one of the most important sources of income for most of the old civilizations. It originally came from the Mediterranean basin, which is the best environment for olive trees.
The olive harvesting and pressing season, “Mawsem az-Zaytūn”, falls in the seventh cycle and last khamasīnayya of the Palestinian agricultural year. In Greek villages, practices are very similar to those of Palestinian villages; they are related to the Christian agricultural calendar, particularly when it comes to the olive culture.
The harvesting season starts in mid-September till the end of October every year. You are welcome to join in this very important agricultural activity in Palestine.
Olive pressing methods did not develop fast, because this was a seasonal activity. Therefore, people depended on old pressing methods that entail a great deal of physical effort; however, it did develop enormously over the years.
Olive pressing methods, in fact, changed over the years. The earliest method simply consisted of putting the olives in a big stone pot with a drainage hole at the bottom and then pressing them using a stone handle or base; the olive paste thus obtained was then put into bags and pressed by means of a wooden beam fixed on the wall, with heavy weights at the other end and below the hole a pot to collect the oil. This is known as the Roman Press. There are several stone presses in Beit Mersim, driven by humans or animals, which date back to the Roman era.
Quick overview
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Opening days
Open daily
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Opening times
All day
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How to reach
By taxi:
From the Bethlehem Taxi station (near Manger Square) to taxi station in Hebron then to Dura and finally to Beit Mersim - Web
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Reservation & Price
No need for booking
Services
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Visits
Beit al Tal Homestay
Soumaya Amro
Mobile +972 0598111802
somayahamro@gmail.com
Available in
English, Arabic
Additional Info
The olive harvesting and pressing season, “Mawsem az-Zaytūn”, falls in the seventh cycle and last khamasīnayya of the Palestinian agricultural year. In Greek villages, practices are very similar to those of Palestinian villages; they are related to the Christian agricultural calendar, particularly when it comes to the olive culture.
The harvesting season starts in mid-September till the end of October every year. You are welcome to join in this very important agricultural activity in Palestine.
Suggested periods
- Autumn
- Spring
Visiting Rules
Basic rules:
All visitors are invited to observe the basic rules of respect for the preservation of monuments and nature
Conservative dress code
Covid 19 rules:
Visitors must respect covid 19 safety measures in force