Frankincense
A white-yellow resin of Boswellia trees from Oman, Yemen and the Horn of Africa, burned in sacred settings.
Also: olibanum, luban, Boswellia, kundur, dhoop resin
Frankincense is the dried sap of trees in the genus Boswellia, tapped from shallow cuts in the bark. The best, from Dhofar in Oman and from Somaliland, is pale and translucent, smelling of pine and citrus when burnt. It has been burned in temples, churches and homes for millennia, and is described in the Egyptian and Hebrew scriptures and in the story of the Magi's gifts. The Land of Frankincense in southern Oman is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the Arabian Peninsula, people chew it or add it to water. Overharvesting and loss of trees are concerns, and the demand for it continues in both religious and perfume trades.