subject: The Art of Olive Wood [print this page] The Art of Olive Wood The Art of Olive Wood
Pilgrims and tourists who visit Israel purchase its unique and holy items for themselves and as an original present for their family and friends. The wood crafts are great souvenirs from sacred places in Israel for believers around the world. Christians who are unable to visit the Holy Land, can now purchase these beautiful crafts via the internet.
The Holy Land gift sites offer a wide selection of items from various categories such as: jewelry, health and beauty, books, wine and olive wood figures. There is an option to make the product more personal by engraving your own words, a verse from the Bible or both that are relevant to the recipient.
Olive wood crafts are skillfully made from beautiful olive trees that are also called "The trees of legends" These trees are a symbol for the Holy Land and they exist since the time of Noah. These subtropical trees reach a height of 3-8 meters and more Olive trees are mentioned many times in the Bible and King Solomon used them to built the Temple.
Olive trees are located in holy cities such as Nazareth and Jerusalem. Monks began carving olive wood crafts in Bethlehem, in the forth century. The monks passed the tradition to the city's residents and It was passed from one generation to another since then. Today the items are handcrafted by skilled artists using simple hand tools.
Olive wood is resistant to humidity, and includes many layers. The wood crafts are carved from the trimming of the olive tree. Every year, in October, the trees are trimmed in order to maintain their health and continue their growth. No trees are destroyed or cut down in order to make the products and they are preserved for many years to come. Olive oil wood is a great material for the crafts compared with other trees. Olive wood has a variety of natural colors that add beauty to the product.
The olive wood crafts include holy items such as: pendants, icons, nativity sets, the cross etc. Other items include decorative products such as: a napkin holder, candlesticks, vases, cups, magnets etc. The olive wood craft is a great gift that will be treasured forever by the person receiving it.
