Olive Crusher

View of a typical olive crusher. This one is made out of local basalt stone. After the olives were harvested in the fall of the year, the olives were brought to such a crusher. The olives were placed inside the depression of the large lower stone and then the wheel-shaped upper stone was rotated over them as one or two persons pushed on the large wooden beam. The wheel-shaped stone turned and rotated around over the olives inside the large fixed lower basin.

After the crushing, the olives were placed in baskets, and then pressure was applied to the baskets to squeeze out the olive oil. The oil was then stored and used for cooking, lighting, cleansing, anointing, etc.

To view a similar grinder found at Capernaum Click Here.

For a brief description and map of Katzrin Click Here.