Al-Mihrass Tree: Knowledge, Skills and Rituals Associated with it

Al-Mihrass is an ancient olive tree known for its remarkable size and age. Caring for these trees requires inherited knowledge and skills, including grafting, pruning, fertilizing, harvesting, and year-round maintenance.
The olive harvest usually takes place between October and early November, when families and neighbours gather to collect the fruit by hand or with rakes. This season is accompanied by songs, social customs, and communal activities, while olive press operators, craftspeople, and artists also contribute to the wider tradition.
Knowledge is passed down from elders to younger generations through practice, observation, and community workshops. For practising communities, Al-Mihrass trees are closely linked to identity, local livelihoods, and social life.
They symbolize peace, wisdom, continuity, and cooperation, especially during harvest rituals such as al-wanih, when people gather, sing, exchange olive oil, and strengthen social bonds.

---

Al-Mihrass Tree: Knowledge, Skills and Rituals Associated with it was inscribed in 2025 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Jordan.