
Resin smoldering in a bowl on an oriental market, clouds of smoke in a cathedral, long camel caravans, mysterious princesses from Oman...
Poor Somalis harvesting resin, Middle Eastern perfumers behind black beards and white turbans, gifts to the Child in Bethlehem - you can find frankincense everywhere.
Over the past few months, so many people have come to buy frankincense oil, that I thought it was worth looking more closely at this remarkable oil.
In an excellent article April Long writes:
“As trees go, Boswellia sacra is no beauty. It’s low, knobby, and gnarled, like Harry Potter’s Whomping Willow mixed with a baobab, a bonsai, or something out of Dr. Seuss. The environment in which it grows, too, is particularly punishing: It thrives in searing heat and relentless wind; its roots cling precariously to desert rocks where no other living thing can find purchase.
Yet the scent of the tree’s resin—that sublime and sacred substance known as frankincense—has enthralled human beings for millennia. Once as valuable as gold, it has fueled the growth of empires, sparked battles, sealed truces. It’s probably the most famous Christmas gift ever given. And, like many of the earth’s botanical treasures, we are uncomfortably close to losing it forever.”
Frankincense is used in a few forms:
- the dried resin granules
- processed into incense sticks
- oil distilled from the resin
- the remains of the distillation process from which components used in the perfume and cosmetic industry are obtained.
Obtaining the oil
Frankincense in all its forms has been used for at least 5000 years.
A small cut is made in the trunk of the tree, and the resin that drips from it is collected after a week or more.
People harvest for weeks in inhospitable areas.
After that, they transport the resin, often on foot, to be sorted and graded by hand. Then follows a slow steam or water distillation process.
Much of the glue is sourced from particularly poor countries such as Somaliland. The trees there belong to family groups and the area is extremely inhospitable.
Other countries where frankincense is grown or harvested are India, Oman, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Kenya.
By the time you use a drop of Frankincense:
• the tree is more than 12 years old
• the harvesters braved desert conditions on foot
• the resin has been sorted and graded by hand
• with great difficulty, approximately 45 ml of oil was distilled from 1 kg of resin.
Just to get you curious about the next article:
Frankincense Oil Personality Profile
People who intuitively like frankincense often exude the impression of secrecy and mystery. They show maturity, confidence and efficiency. Although they are not necessarily religious in the traditional sense of the word, they often have a deep love for God.
They are usually good communicators and are warm, friendly and loving. Frankincense fans are also sensitive to the atmosphere and attitudes between people and in spaces such as homes and rooms.
Sources and recommended articles on frankincense:
More on the ‘Frankincense Forest’ in Somaliland:
Types of frankincense
Battaglia, S.
The complete guide to aromatherapy 2nd edition.
The International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy, Brisbane, Australia, 2003. P 204 - 205
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