Olive wreath
In its own language: κότινος
A crown of wild olive branches given to Olympic victors in ancient Greece
The olive wreath is a circular or horseshoe-shaped crown made from wild olive branches. In ancient Greece, it was awarded to winners of the Olympic Games at Olympia, symbolizing honor and virtue rather than material wealth.
- Given to Olympic winners in ancient Greece
- Made from wild olive branches at Olympia
- Symbolized honor and virtue, not wealth
- Revived at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games
What is Olive wreath?
An olive wreath is shaped into a ring or sometimes a horseshoe, using flexible branches and leaves from the wild olive tree. The leaves are green and the wreath is worn on the head. It was once the highest honor for athletes at the ancient Olympic Games, marking their victory with a simple but meaningful crown.
Where does Olive wreath come from?
The tradition began in Olympia, Greece, where wild olive trees grew near the temples. The wreaths were made from branches cut by a boy whose parents were both alive, using golden scissors. These branches were then placed in the temple and later woven into wreaths for the Olympic victors. The custom is linked to Heracles, who is said to have started the practice to honor Zeus.
How Olive wreath is made
To create the olive wreath, selected branches from a wild olive tree were cut and brought to the temple. The judges of the Games would then twist and weave the branches into a circular or horseshoe-shaped crown. The finished wreath was placed on the winner’s head during the award ceremony.
When and where Olive wreath is used
The olive wreath was presented to the sole winner of each Olympic event in ancient Greece. It was not just a prize, but a public mark of honor, celebrated by the community. In modern times, olive wreaths were given to winners at the 2004 Athens Olympics to recall this ancient tradition.
Forms of Olive wreath
While the olive wreath is the most famous, other types of wreaths made from different plants, such as laurel or myrtle, were used in other Greek festivals and games. The olive wreath, however, is especially tied to Olympia and the Olympic Games.
What Olive wreath means
The olive wreath stands for virtue and achievement, rather than material reward. Ancient writers and historians, such as Herodotus and Aristophanes, commented on its meaning. The wreath also appears in art and literature, and was used as a symbol during the revival of the Olympic Games in 1896 and again in 2004.
The flowers of Olive wreath
Traditions that use it
Questions people ask about Olive wreath
Where did the olive wreath tradition begin?
The olive wreath was first used at Olympia in Greece, where it was awarded to winners of the ancient Olympic Games as a mark of honor.
What does the olive wreath symbolize?
It stands for virtue, achievement, and honor, showing that victory was valued more than material prizes like gold or silver.
How was the olive wreath made?
Branches from a wild olive tree were cut, then twisted into a ring or horseshoe shape and placed on the winner’s head.
Is the olive wreath still used today?
Olive wreaths were given to winners at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, connecting the modern Games to their ancient roots.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Olive wreath", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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