Fabulous Frankincense An Epic Story

What is Frankincense?

Fabulous frankincense, what is it and where does it come from? It was one of the precious gifts the Three Wise Men took to Bethlehem along with gold and myrrh. The Queen of Sheba is said to have taken frankincense to King Solomon, and Emperor Nero burned a year’s supply when his beloved Poppea died, legend tells us.

Fabulous Frankincense: The Quest

Frankincense was one of the most precious commodities in the ancient world. A source of incredible wealth, it may have been the first substance to be used and traded globally. It was distributed along the Ancient Silk Road as well as other overland trading and incense routes many of which lead to Petra in what is now Jordan.

The peak of the Frankincense trade was in the 2nd century AD. When South Arabia shipped more than 3,000 tons annually to Greece and Rome and the trade was controlled by an OPEC style cartel.

I read some of this ancient history and was fascinated, so when planning my recent travels in Oman I knew I had to see the ancient Frankincense Forests.

Frankincense Today

Frankincense trees grow in the remote Dhofar region of Southern Oman. This fringes the Empty Quarter, the planet’s largest sand desert which stretches out endlessly across the Arabian Peninsula.

The area is remote and arid. The only place to stay in this area was in Bedu goat-hair tents which added to the other worldliness of the adventure. At dawn as the rising sun shone a pearlescent glow over the surrounding dunes, we set out to see the trees and the ancient city of Ubar which T. E. Lawrence called Atlantis of the Sands. An important city on the old incense trading routes.

First I found that the lush oasis-like frankincence forests of my imagination were just that. What we found were stubby, scrubby bushes, about eight feet high. But these tough stunted trees have the ability to survive in an extremely arid region and they produce a priceless resin or sap. Collected from the trunks and branches this resin is then used as incense.

Ancient Trade Routes

Next we visited Ubar, or Atlantis of the Sands. It is currently being excavated and there is much to be discovered. NASA Space Shuttles and infrared technology will help to reveal more.

What I did discover is that Dofhar in Oman, Yemen and Somalia were the sources of Frankincense for the ancient world. Camels in long caravans laden with the precious resin in bulging packs would set out across ancient trails cris-crossing the Empty Quarter of the Arabian peninsula. Trails which have long since been covered with sand and shifting dunes.

The caravans traveled about twenty-five miles each day spending the night in walled compounds called caravanserai strategically built to provide a safe resting place for travelers on these routes.

Petra: Destination City For Caravans

Petra, in present day Jordan was a destination city for caravans bearing frankincense. It is a natural compound surrounded by mountains with only one entrance. This narrow canyon through the rocks called the Siq is just wide enough for a single string of camels.

Petra was developed by the Nabateans who were some of the most skilled and gifted traders dating back to the 4th century BC.

From Petra trade routes went west to Gaza where frankincense was loaded onto boats bound for Rome. Overland trails went north to Damascus, and others looped down to ancient Babylon

Did The Wise Men With Gold Frankincense and Myrrh Visit Petra?

Petra is just about fifty miles from Bethlehem. A two day caravan journey away. Did the Three Wise Men set out from there, carrying the gold, frankincense and myhrr, negotiating the narrow siq on their camels?

Did the Queen of Sheba stop in Petra on her way to visit King Solomon? and was Emperor Nero’s frankincense purchased from traders in Petra?

We can only surmise. What we do know is that Frankincense was one of the most valuable comodities of the ancient world. The sap and resin from the short, stubby, scrubby desert bushes was once more precious than gold.

Fabulous frankincense, it is the stuff of legends, myths, ancient cities and lost trading routes. So much is buried for ever under the ever-shifting sands of the Empty Quarter where strings of camels followed trails from ancient Babylon, Petra, Damascus, Gaza and other legendary ancient cities.