Frankincense

Since Biblical times, frankincense has been one of the world’s most coveted treasures. It is one of the gifts brought to Baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men. For a period, it was priced higher than gold. Its value was due to two reasons: its rarity and its acclaimed medicinal benefits. The gnarly Boswellia tree is native to very few places (Oman, Yemen, India and Northern Africa). It is often is found on rock, in cliffs or hillsides, making the harvest of its resin – frankincense – treacherous and manual. The resin’s medicinal properties are the stuff of legends, it is said to have a regenerative ability: to make skin young and to soothe the mind. Its distinct aroma – citrus with a woodsy linger – is popular in incense and perfumes.

The storied history of frankincense centers around Oman. It is a natural producer, and its lost city of Ubar (now Shisr) is thought to be the center of the Incense Road trade. Nowadays, price vary greatly from the highest grade being expensive to packages sold for a few OMR at the souks. Burned as incense (or ingested, if adventurous), it is a warm reminder of Oman.