In the golden light of Malta’s landscape, one ancient crop has shaped its culture, cuisine, and survival for thousands of years: olive oil. During my Military Heritage Press Trip to Malta, we had the absolute pleasure of being hosted for dinner one evening under the Maltese night skies and olive groves at Ta’Xmun Olive Grove. With us was Professor Noel Buttigieg, Head of The Department of Tourism Management at the University of Malta. He gave us an insightful lecture on the significance of olive oil in Maltese history, and I had to summarize his teachings the best I could right here on The Tezzy Files.
🏺 From Phoenicians to Romans: Olive Oil’s Ancient Power
The story begins over 2,000 years ago with the Phoenicians, master seafarers and traders who introduced olives to Malta. Archaeological remains show early olive oil use tied not just to food, but ritual and trade. Later, under Roman rule, olive oil became essential — not only for cooking, but for lighting, medicine, and worship.
Romans revered olive oil as part of the sacred Mediterranean trinity: grain, wine, and oil. It was so central to daily life that Malta was dubbed an “island of hunger” during periods of scarcity — where people survived on bread, often without oil during strict Christian fasting periods like Advent and Lent, when frying was forbidden by the Church.
🌍 Olive Oil, Trade & Survival
By the 3rd century, Roman records mention olive oil shortages and how Malta relied heavily on imports — a trend that still exists today, with 72% of food (including olive oil) imported. Fortunately, Malta’s proximity to Sicily, the “breadbasket of the Mediterranean,” kept it supplied through tough times.
In medieval and Arab periods, olive oil remained vital — not just for cooking, but for preserving food like fish and Gbejna, Malta’s beloved goat’s milk cheese (from the Arabic jubn, meaning cheese). Today, Gbejna is protected under the European Union’s food heritage registry as of early 2025.
🌿 From Fields to Forgotten: The Decline of Olive Oil
Despite its early importance, by the 16th–18th centuries, Malta saw a shift. Cotton became the island’s cash crop, prized by the Knights of St. John. Unlike olives, cotton didn’t require deep roots or extensive water — and it dominated the agricultural landscape for generations.
While Zejtun (named after zeit, Arabic for olive oil) and Żebbuġ (from zabug, Maltese for olive) still carry the legacy in name, Malta’s olive oil tradition faded… until recently.
🌱 A Slow Revival
In the last few years, Malta has been reviving its ancient olive oil industry. Using both native and Sicilian olive varieties, small producers are rediscovering ancient olive pressing methods once thought lost. Today, Maltese extra virgin olive oil is once again earning its place on the table — not just as a kitchen staple, but as a symbol of deep-rooted resilience.
From Roman ritual to rustic revival, olive oil in Malta is more than an ingredient — it’s history in every drop.
The Tezzy Files 