Frankincense
Frankincense is a fragrant resin obtained from the dried sap of Boswellia trees, primarily Boswellia sacra, and has been valued for its aromatic and medicinal properties for thousands of years. Historically, it has played a significant role in religious rituals across various cultures, including ancient Assyria, Babylon, and within the Christian tradition. The resin's scent is characterized as woodsy with fruity undertones and was used in ancient times for various health remedies, cosmetics, and even as a part of embalming processes in Egypt.
In modern times, frankincense is increasingly utilized in aromatherapy and as an ingredient in cosmetics due to its purported benefits for skin health and relaxation. The extraction of frankincense essential oil involves pulverizing the resin and infusing it in oils like olive or jojoba. However, rising demand for frankincense has raised concerns about sustainability, as excessive harvesting practices threaten the trees and their habitats. The economic pressures on local harvesters, who often work in dangerous conditions, further complicate the situation. As interest in natural treatments grows, ongoing research explores frankincense's potential applications in managing conditions such as anxiety, respiratory issues, and arthritis, reflecting its enduring significance in both historical and contemporary contexts.
Subject Terms
Frankincense
Frankincense is a fragrant substance derived from the dried sap of Boswellia trees. For centuries, it has been burned as part of religious rituals and compounded into treatments for several illnesses. These uses made frankincense a valuable commodity that was traded and even given as a gift. Frankincense continues to have value in contemporary times. Its use in essential oils and healthy-and-beauty products has increased, which has led to concerns that the world's supply of frankincense may be at risk due to excessive harvesting.
Background
Historians believe that frankincense has been an important trade commodity for at least five thousand years. It is an item of some rarity because the shrub-like trees from which it is derived will grow only in certain climates and regions. These areas include parts of northeastern Africa, southern China, and the Arabian Peninsula. Attempts to grow frankincense in other areas have failed, though growers in Arizona have had some limited success.
The process used to harvest frankincense has not changed much for centuries. About twice a year, harvesters nick the tree's bark in several places. This allows the thick white sap to leak out and collect in droplets on the bark. About ten days later, the semi-hardened sap, called resin, is collected. The resin is spread out to dry for another three to four months before it is sorted by color. The lightest-colored sap, which can be almost clear, is the most desirable and is often saved for religious rituals in the areas where the trees grow. Most of the resin hardens into a murky brown color. The dried resin is then packed and sent to other areas of the world for a variety of uses.
Overview
Experts have found both archeological and written evidence that frankincense has been sought for centuries for its fragrance and medicinal uses. The scent of frankincense is woodsy with elements of fruitiness. Frankincense has been burned in religious rituals since the time of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians. The Bible lists frankincense among the ingredients burned during worship in holy Jewish temples, and it was important to the Greeks and Romans, who used it during cremation rituals. Although its connections with these pagan rituals resulted in its ban from Christian use for some time during the faith's earliest days, frankincense has since become a component in the incense burned in many Christian churches.
The resin has been formed into preparations used for cosmetic and health purposes for centuries. Ancient Egyptians found many uses for it and imported it in large quantities for use in perfumes, medicinal salves and skin treatments, and insect repellant. Burned and powdered frankincense was part of the distinctive dark eyeliner the Egyptians used. The ancient Greeks and Romans noticed that compounds that included frankincense could help limit infection and control pain. As a result, they included it in substances used to treat a variety of health issues, including coughs, bad breath, indigestion, arthritis, and hemorrhoids. The many uses of frankincense made it a very valuable item for sale and trade. According to the Christian Bible, it was even included among the gifts that the wise men, or magi, brought to Jesus during his infancy.
Frankincense has been used as an important ingredient in alternative medical practices into contemporary times. Practitioners of traditional Chinese and Indian medicine have long taken advantage of its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and analgesic properties to reduce swelling, combat infection, and ease pain, respectively. Frankincense is thought to have properties that help with skin health and improve the complexion. As a result, it is incorporated into a number of modern cosmetics and skin-care agents.
Although frankincense may be powdered to incorporate it into cosmetic and therapeutic preparations, in modern times it is often used as an essential oil. Essential oils are aromatic oils extracted from natural plant materials. In the case of frankincense, the oils are usually extracted by first pulverizing the resin into a powder and then heating it in a plant-based oil such as olive oil or jojoba oil. After all the fragrant compounds have been extracted, the solution is filtered to purify it. The resulting essential oil of frankincense is then added to more oil, such as olive or jojoba oil, for use.
Modern-Day Frankincense
In the twenty-first century, interest has grown in natural treatments, cleaners, and other agents. As a result, interest in frankincense has increased. It is used in aromatherapy, where its citrusy-woodsy scent is said to promote relaxation and calm. Frankincense oils are incorporated into preparations thought to cure or help control the symptoms of several ailments. Some scientific studies support some of the ancient beliefs about frankincense, and research is ongoing to see whether it can be incorporated into treatments for anxiety, respiratory conditions such as asthma, digestive issues such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and even cancer. Some researchers have determined that it may control the pain of arthritis.
The increased interest in frankincense has presented a few issues for those who grow and harvest it. The higher demand has increased the price of the raw resin. For example, in most markets the priced jumped from $1 to $6 per kilogram in the six years between 2010 and 2016. The increased demand coupled with the ability to make more money has pushed some harvesters to alter their practices. In some cases, they have increased the number of cuts they make in each tree and the number of times per year they harvest. Experts have raised concerns about the sustainability of these practices and the future availability of frankincense if changes are not made.
The increased demand has affected the population of areas where harvesting is a major source of income because the work can be dangerous. The harvesting process requires workers to climb into trees, which grow wild on cliffs in some areas. Adding harvests means these workers are at greater risk of death or disabling injuries caused by falls.
Bibliography
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