IONIAN PERIOD The Ionians, who had shown particular developments on economy and culture between 900-300 B.C. in west Anatolia, founded the 12 Ionic cities union. One of the most important and developed cities of this union was ‘Klozemenai’ (Urla, today). According to the archaeological findings and excavations, olive oil extraction technic was founded in the 6th century B.C. This technic known as ‘Klozemenai Workshop’ which was the most developed olive oil producing technic of Anatolia or even of the world during this era. This Hall, exhibits the running technic of the original workshop in ‘Klozemenai(Urla) that was created with the incredible genius pattern. SYSTEM Harvested and selected olives are crushed with a mechanism rotated by human-power and turns into paste. The olive paste filled in special sacks and carried over to the pres. Filled sacks placed on the platform, pressed with a double-stranded winch. Lifting up the weight-stone, with the support of the winch, increases the pressure and the power of the press. The provided oil is transferred into the stone-carved pools by a wooden canal. In these ‘combined vessels’ formatted pools, the oil is seperated from its vegetable-water. Then the olive oil is transferred into the earthenware jars to store and for the last to the amphoras to transport.   

CELLAR Like in the original Klazomenai there is a storeroom in the basement. Amphoras in different forms dating back to ancient period is exhibited. Amphora is a composed definition of “amphi” (on both sides) and “phoreus” (carrier). These amphoras were used for wine and olive oil to preserve and also in transportation. They might also be used for honey, spices, nuts, dried fish and fish oil. Due to their pointed bottoms, Amphoras were easily stacked in a sandy ground laid at the bottom of the wooden carrier boats. For storedge on land; metal or ceramic rings were used to stand the Amphoras straight or buried in the ground or hung by the handles. Inside of Amphoras were plastered with resin and the tops were sealed.

TRANSITIONAL PERIOD A long period, after the Ionian Era and several archeological findings in Middle East, it is a pity that there is no historical record fort he following 600 years about olive oil  extraction. So this exhibition hall, is called ‘The Transitional Era’. The next act of olive on historical stage took place again in Cyprus, within the Roman Age. In this hall, the basic and principle olive oil production instruments are exhibited, which have been used throughout history,until today. Curiously enough, that we use the phrase ‘throughout history’, because even today in the villages around ‘Beşparmak Mountains’, oil is being extracted by using all these simple methods and foot-pressing system. First the water carried from the spring is boiled on furnaces by using some earthenware vessels. Then macerated olives with the help of boiled water are crushed by a human-powered Grand Stone Mill. So the olives turns into paste. The olive paste put into special sacks are extracted to oil by woman using the foot-pressing system.

ILLUMINATION ‘Oil, extracted from precious fruit of the olive, illuminated the nights of mankind, blessed our temples, and releived our souls first… Olive oil before it is edible, has been used in lamps as fuel first and so, illuminated our nights. The use of light, acting an enormous role by the development of civilization and science, so promoted the process of the invention of electrcity.

ROMAN PERIOD For Romans, the value of olive oil which were inherited from Ancient Greek, was priceless. Since the legendary history of Roman establishment and the increasing value of social and economical structure, olive and olive oil have always been the most supreme Whether rich or poor, olive and grape were the two essentials of a Roman’s table. An emperor or commander who returned with the victory, or a gladiator who defeated his rival was awarded the crown prepared with olive branches and leaves. Also, Romans accepted olive oil as tax. Furthermore those who structured olive grove have been granted with the exemption from military service. ‘THE WORM SCREW’ The invention of worm-screw by the Romans has started a new era in the technology  of olive oil extraction. This new technique has improved the efficiency and productivity by spending less energy and effort. ‘TRAPETUM’ Another apparatus invented and frequently used by Romans  named Trapetum, is a vertical and conical  Stone-mill which crushes the olives into paste. THE QUALIFICATION OF OLIVE OIL BY ROMANS First Press/The most precious: Olei-flos (flower of the oil) Second Press: Oleum Sequens Caducum: Extracted from rottan olives used in soap production Cibarium: The worst quality of oil only used in oil lamps

ROMAN BATH Later; cured our hair, and skins, moreover healed our bodies. After being used as the fuel in oil-lamps for illumination, before  it is edible, olive oil is used for personal hygen, beauty, wellnes and health throughout Roman era. Therefore, this hall exhibits a classical Roman Bath in architecturally minimized ½ scale. Notice: Romans throughout history present several inventions in mechanics. Among them, which is known as ‘Hypocaustum’ (underfloor heating system) is the most considerable one. It is a genious pattern of engineering even today and is the pioneer system of heating mechanism. This invention also provided the inspiration for ‘Traditional Turkish Bath’ (hamam) and used as the basic principle, in the future. Besides, a section of this hall exhibits the basic ‘soap manufacturing’  instruments using olive oil. This manufacturing system kept its  authenticity and reached today. Small manufacturers and some people at home still  in our time use these instruments and the same system in soap making.  

EARLY BYZANTIUM PERIOD This era preserved its precence for about 1.000 years, time beginning with the fall of  West-Roman Imperial in 476 A.C. and ending with the conquest of Istanbul, by Sultan Mehmet The Ottoman Emperor in 1453 A.C. In Early Byzantium Era, the Stone-mills powered by animal were used instead  the mills powered  by human which was efficient in Roman Era. Another progression is about the worm-screw which was invented by Romans. Next to the development of ‘single worm-screw used press’, also press’ with double worm-screw called ‘Masara’ were improved  and began to be used, thus olive oil extraction became more efficient and needed less human effort. Besides, during this era again, with the reshape of the earthenware jars which were used to store and to rest the olive oil, so they had a more aesthetic look and also became more balanced. 

GRAND EXHIBITION HALL This hall is not related to a particular time or a specific era. The instruments here however although look very similar, are different from eachother technically. Different designs of wooden/iron press’ related to several eras and also oil filters(with cotton) are exhibited.

LATE BYZANTIUM PERIOD The ‘improved wooden screw grinding mill’ system is a very particular sample which was used during the advanced Byzantium and early Ottoman era. This was the most improved transmission system and used for centuries until the 17th century, the beginnig of early industrial era. The next important progression was the use of ‘swirl wooden press’. Besides the worm-screw was used as a single-centered mechanism,in this era it was also used to calibrate the height of the both levers of the wooden press. The swirl wooden system working connected  to the wooden-press, promoted the performance of the squeeze. With the help of fixing and locking ability, oil extraction became more efficient and needed less effort.

EARLY INDUSTRIAL PERIOD (Steam and Diesel Engines) This hall exhibits, the mechanical systems through the transformation of steam to mechanical-power, thus the rotating mechanism works. Between 17th and 19th centuries with the invention and the improvement of steam-engine a new era has started. The principal of the system; The water turns to steam in a boiler and expands greatly in volume, and can be used to generate mechanical-power (usually via piston sor tribunes). The steam is then usually cooled to condense it, and it is pumped back into the boiler. So with the action to back and forth (locomotion) the power turns to mechanical-work. The power impulses acquired  are transmitted  by the help of belt pulley to the mechanism. With the same power impulse, the bottom-rotated mill start to work and crushes the olive,thus the olive turns into pomace. The pomace filled in special sacks  are placed on the platform of the press’  working with the power of hydraulic pumps. The water-hydraulic pumps (called ‘pomparya’) again using the same mechanical-power (transmitted), start to (up and down) move, so the olive is squeezed. The extracted olive oil is transferred into the special tanks/pools (called ‘polim’).The oil reserved in those combined-vessels formatted tanks, is seperated from its vegetable water. The seperated oil transferred via some ladle shaped instruments and filled into tanks to reserve an transport. Apart from steam-engine the equal mechanical-power is produced by ‘diesel-motors’  that we can call the generators of today. In time, the mechanical-power of diesel-motors is turned into the electrical-power via ‘alternator’, a field  winding mechanism, thus shed light on the use of elecrical-energy. ELECTRIC POWER PERIOD In this era, the principle of the system and mechanism of olive oil extraction is similar to the early industrial era. The only difference is that the electric power is used instead of mechanical-power in oil extraction. The next improvement is about the mills.In this era, top-rotated mills are used instead of the bottom-ratated mills. But the working system is the same; like the use of press’s and hydraulic pumps, speration tanks etc.

WINERY With this hall our journey including olive and olive oil throughout history, has ended. Throughout history, olive and grape, also olive oil and wine were close fellows and never became apart from eachother, neither in production nor in trade. According to Pilinius (Pliny the elder); ’There are kinds of liquid which are beneficial for human-body, wine for internal good and olive oil for external. Besides, all teh instruments and systems used in wine production are very similiar to which are used in olive oil extraction. The only difference is that the power needed in wine producing system is less then in oil extraction, surely because of the hardness of olives compared wieh grapes. Wec also see the similarity by using the foot-pressing system in wine-producing.