It might be one of the three most famous gifts in the world.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one. It’s just before the year zero, and three distinguished foreigners approach a house, over which they have observed a star taking position. Upon entering, they find a mother and child. Opening their treasure chests, these wise men bring forth fabulously valuable gifts: gold, a holy anointing oil, and a rich perfume made from tree resin. Having made their offerings, they depart in an entirely different direction to the one they arrived in, having been tipped off in a dream that their employer, King Herod, has dastardly plans for them.
Two thousand years later, that pungent perfume is still extraordinarily valuable (a litre of its essential oil can set you back as much as $6,000) – and if you’re after the finest quality, your destination should be the Arabian country of Oman.
Frankincense (also known as Hojari or Luban) is a resin that comes from a Middle Eastern tree called Boswellia, which is intensely farmed across around 2,100 acres of Oman – an area which which, due to the way the numbers of trees are dwindling worldwide, is now a UNESCO World Heritage site – dubbed “Land Of Frankincense” – with all the protections that designation brings.
Production may have recently intensified to moderately industrial scales, but frankincense has been traded throughout the Arabian peninsula and into the world for more than 5000 years (in ancient Egypt it was called “sweat of the gods” – and at the time of the birth of Christ, the Roman Empire was importing anything up to 3,000 tons from suppliers in the Middle East). There is also archaeological evidence that shows how Omani nomad traders had already established routes through southern Mesopotamia in the Neolithic period, with the earliest signs of incense use being from Mesopotamian temple ruins at the site of Tepe Gawra (near Mosul in modern Iraq).
Throughout the history of trade and expansion, this premium product climbed in popularity, reaching corners of Africa, India, China and eventually Europe – introduced by western crusaders during Roman Empire times, where it was commonly used in church services and other religious ceremonies – which is where it enters the biblical storytelling tradition, becoming a household name along the way.
Nowadays, Frankincense is produced in several locations around the world, including Oman, Yemen, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and India; Somalia being the largest producer, and Oman the highest quality producer.
As for the vaguely gothic-sounding name – the English word frankincense has been largely associated with the French expression franc encens, meaning true or pure incense. During Greek times, it was known as líbanos, etymologically related to the term used prior in Arabic, Hebrew and Latin: lĭbănus.
If you’re travelling through Salalah in Oman’s Dhofar region (as participants in next February’s Deserts To Fjords tour will be doing), keep an eye out for your first sight of a Boswellia tree. It’s not hard to spot: a spectacularly spindly explosion of gnarly bare branches fanning upwards to where a dense thatch of leaves erupts horizontally, like the tree is wearing a faintly unconvincing hairpiece.
Now cross your fingers that you’ll get to see any being harvested – which is a rarer event than you’d think, considering the worldwide demand. It’s usually a long wait before they’re ready – anything up to 10 years, and once harvesting begins, it can only take place twice or thrice in one year. During these times, taps are put onto the surface of the tree so that the balsam (a mix of resin and other liquids) can flow out to be collected.
Alas, since the 1990’s, Boswellia species have been threatened by habitat loss and overexploitation. Most of the trees thrive in harsh, arid regions, which are often ones blighted by poverty and conflict – and harvesting and selling the tree’s resin is sometimes the only reliable source of income for the inhabitants. Consequently, economic pressures have resulted in overtapping, endangering the quality and life span of these valuable tree crops. The hunt for a more sustainable cycle is on, but the long-term challenges still remain.
Frankincense’s medicinal purposes are also well-documented. Among its benefits: anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, improving cases of colitis, asthma, joint pain, stiffness, treatment for depression and even moderate osteoarthritis. Due to its softer texture, it can even be chewed for gum health. (Any hard-as-rock frankincense is synonymous with lower quality resin.)
But it’s generally not something you should try to eat – it’s something you fill your lungs with. Its pine-like aromatic fragrance is why it’s been used so widely in religious ceremonies (the Vatican being one of the main consumers of the resin) and for manufacturing perfumes and oils, and more recently for aromatherapy, cosmetics and skin products sold worldwide.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of breathing it in: it’s a warm and sweet woody aroma with peppery or citric undertones. Or in the words of writer April Long:
“Most Westerners’ first word association with frankincense is “churchy,” and the image includes cloaked priests waving smoking pendulums around stuffy cathedrals. But fresh frankincense is different. Sniffing it, I find, is to encounter something I have no vocabulary for. The adjectives I fumble for—woody, lemony, balsamic, spicy, camphorous, piney—seem woefully inadequate.”
However you find it, beware the cheaper suppliers. Frankincense’s long-term battle for survival depends on investment in sustainable harvesting techniques that don’t tap out a tree’s source of resin or even damage it too much to produce balsam in the future. If it’s pricey, it’s because it took decades to manufacture, and that means more recovery-time for the trees it’s taken from. Expect to see the resin on sale for anything from $25 (USD) an ounce upwards.
You may not need the endlessly deep pockets of one of the three kings bearing gifts – but if it’s from an ethical source, a relatively steep price will be paying it forward to help this valuable scent make it into the next millenia. I reckon those wise men would nod approvingly.
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Join Wheel & Anchor in Oman in February 2025, as we spend 15 days exploring the stunning setting of this Middle Eastern gem of a country. The country’s enduring stability makes it the perfect location to explore the rich culture, fascinating history and simply stunning natural beauty of the Arabian Peninsula. Get the details here.