In Genesis, the dove brought an olive leaf back to Noah’s Ark to show that the floodwaters had receded.
Genesis 8:11 says that the dove returned in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak. Noah understood this as evidence that the waters had diminished from the earth and that vegetation was again available outside the ark.
The episode follows Noah’s earlier release of a raven and his first release of the dove, which returned because it found no resting place. Noah waited seven days before sending the dove again. After the olive leaf appeared, he waited another seven days and released it once more; this time, it did not return.
The olive branch later became a widespread symbol of peace, reconciliation, and hope. That symbolism is rooted partly in the Noah narrative, though olive branches had peaceful associations in other ancient cultures too. The biblical wording specifies an olive leaf, while modern artwork often shows a dove carrying a whole branch.