Olive harvest season is under way across the occupied West Bank.

In every Palestinian home, there is a "teta" - a grandmother and keeper of family traditions, who shares her recipes for using olives and tells stories of when the whole family gathered to harvest them.

The small green or black fruits are primarily used to produce oil, a staple never missing from a Palestinian dinner table, as well as table olives that accompany many meals.

In this visual explainer, Al Jazeera looks at what makes the olive so special to Palestinian identity and life.

Olive trees have been cultivated across Palestine for thousands of years, serving as a source of livelihood, cultural heritage and resilience.

The olive harvest, known as "mawsim al-zaytoun", begins in October, with preparations starting in

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