In this research, Gemlik variety of olive fruits (Olea europaea L.) and their pits from Aydin in Turkey were analyzed for some physical properties and mechanical behavior under compression loading. The average length, width, thickness, arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, volume, unit mass, bulk density, true density, porosity, terminal velocity, projected area, drag coefficient, specific deformation, rupture force, and rupture energy were investigated experimentally. Olive fruits and olive pits were loaded between two parallel plates to determine the specific deformation, rupture force, and rupture energy to initiate skin and pit rupture. Rupture force, rupture energy, and specific deformation of the olive pit and olive fruit increased in magnitude with an increase in deformation rate and size. The highest rupture force, rupture energy, and specific deformation of the olive pit and olive fruit among the axes at all deformation rates and sizes were obtained for X-axis except for specific deformation for olive fruit. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.