What Is the Traditional Use of Frankincense?
Frankincense, traditionally appearing with gold and myrrh for the Christian story of the three wise men, has been used for more than 2,000 years. Today we know it mostly as an incense or resin but rarely read about its earlier uses.
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History
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A caravan travels across a desert region as frankincense merchants did. Boswelia sacra is the tree from which the highest grade of frankincense is made. Greeks, Romans, Israelites and Egyptians were among the people who used frankincense for religious ceremonies, including burning it as an offering to deities. Due to its demand, this yellowish-white resin gave Saudi Arabia its first written language, currency and wealth and opened up the Middle East to trade by ship and caravan.
Traditional Uses
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Burning incense as an offering to deities is one use of frankincense. The traditional uses of frankincense by Israelites, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and other people are more diverse than previously thought. It was used as embalming material to prevent further decomposition, in the burial ritual, as an offering to the departed and to cover odors. It also was employed as a remedy for ailments such as ulcers, nausea, fever, hypertension and chest coughs; it was used for recovery after childbirth, too. The smoke from burned frankincense was used as a mosquito repellent, which prevented large outbreaks of malaria. Frankincense resin was highly revered and traded because of its importance.
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Modern Uses
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Some deodorants contain frankincense. Frankincense is still used as an incense. Every day we also use it in deodorant, toothpaste, foods, drinks and medicines.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Canyon / Oasis in the desert of the sultanate Oman near Muscat image by XtravaganT from Fotolia.com Caravane image by sev from Fotolia.com burning incense image by yummy from Fotolia.com deodorant image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
