Olive oil has been pressed in Urla for 2,600 years: the Klazomenai press
Short answer
Olive oil production in Urla goes back some 2,600 years on the record. The town’s ancient name is Klazomenai, and the olive oil press found there is considered the oldest known press in Anatolia, dated to the 6th century BC. The site is open to visitors.
Klazomenai, the ancient name of Urla
A few minutes inland from the cove you reach Klazomenai — the ancient name of the place we now call Urla. There, cut into the rock, stands a workshop that shows how olive oil was pressed.
What makes it remarkable is not only its age but its standing: it is the oldest known olive oil press in Anatolia. Both qualifiers matter — “in Anatolia” and “known”. Archaeology does not rule out what has not yet been found; on present evidence, this is the oldest.
Fifteen pits carved into the rock
The 2004–2005 excavations uncovered fifteen pits cut into the bedrock. They do not all do the same job: each was made for a separate stage of production. What you are looking at is not a single stone but a production line thought through from beginning to end.
That means the craft had already been settled into a method by then. Crushing the fruit, separating the water, letting the oil rest — the same order as today.
What it means at the table today
At an Urla table, olive oil is not an ingredient but a habit. Behind that habit lies a continuity reaching back to the 6th century BC; the town did not pick this up in the last decade.
The method behind the oil you pour over bread at breakfast was worked out here before the common era. Eating with that in mind is not quite the same meal.
Before you go
The site is open to visitors. It is worth confirming entry conditions and current hours with the Urla Municipality — such details shift with the season and the excavation calendar, and we would rather not publish an hour that will go stale.
If you are staying at the cove, ask at reception: we will check how things stand that day and tell you. Information ages; a person does not.
Frequently asked questions
- How old is the Klazomenai olive oil press?
- The press dates to the 6th century BC, so roughly 2,600 years old. It is considered the oldest known olive oil press in Anatolia.
- Where is Klazomenai?
- Klazomenai is the ancient name of Urla (İzmir), and the remains lie within Urla. It is a short drive inland from the cove towards the town.
- Can you visit the press?
- Yes, the site is open to visitors. We recommend checking entry conditions and current opening hours with the Urla Municipality, as these can change.