A Historical Study of Food Industries in the Ottoman Period in Damascus and its Countryside (the Case of Oil Pressers and Molasses)

Abstract

This study  is titled "A Historical Study of Food Industries in the Ottoman Period in Damascus and its Countryside – The Case of Oil pressers and molasses" will give an overview of the oil and Deed pressers in the times of the Ottoman Empire in terms of the equipment available in these pressers, and the process of olive oil extraction and the making of molasses from grapes. The research will also identify the places of these olive pressers in Damascus and its countryside, and the taxes charged by Ottoman Empire from the owners of these pressers in general, with other findings listed at the end of this research.

This research will focus on the most important industries in Damascus and its countryside as an accurate example about this industry which formed the backbone of the food of the population of Damascus and its countryside and the population in Levant in general. The research aims to reach a host of results, like knowing  the most important kind of olive pressers and the equipment which was used, in addition to, knowing the locations of these pressers.