Christmas — a time for frankincense
 At
this time of year we hear much about the three royal gifts of gold, frankincense
and myrrh, which were brought to Bethlehem by the three kings.
The first
of these has for generations been regarded with some superstition and,
in some quarters, loathing for its vulgar appeal.
Incense belongs to quite a different category.
The word “frankincense” derives
from the Old French franc encens, which denotes “pure incense”.
It is a resin produced by small trees of the genus Boswellia, growing
in sub-Saharan Africa from Nigeria to the Horn, to Arabia and the foothills
of the Himalayas. These bear white to pale rose flowers on short pedicels.
The
resin exudes from leaves and shoots and especially from wounds in
the bark. Young trees furnish the most valuable gum, which is tapped
every three weeks, starting at the end of the summer monsoon and
continuing throughout the dry season.
The future of frankincense is now regarded by some investigators
as highly problematical. The constant harvesting of resin from the
time
of floral
induction may prove to be a severe drain upon the carbon resources
of the tree.
In studies of the seed germination potential of tapped
and
untapped trees, the seeds from annually tapped trees showed a success
rate of some 20 per cent compared with 80 to 90 per cent for untapped
trees, with fewer inflorescences and fruits. Accordingly the natural
regeneration of Boswellia in Eritrea has been reduced substantially.
To
overcome this trend, the amount of resin taken from each tree and and
seasonal rests, together with protection from intense grazing
will
be necessary.
Taken medicinally, frankincense was once held in high repute as
a stimulant. Pliny considered it an antidote to hemlock poisoning
and
Avicenna recommended
it as a treatment for tumours, ulcers, vomiting, dysentery and
fevers.
In China it is still prescribed for leprosy. It is used
in plasters
in place of balsams and inhalation of vapour is said to relieve
bronchitis and laryngitis. The religious use of frankincense
was common in ancient
Persia, Babylonia and Assyria and among the Parsis.
As a cosmetic
it was melted to make a depilatory and made into a paste to
perfume the
hands. When charred with other resins it was incorporated in
the kohl with which Egyptian women painted their eyelids. Notably,
the resin
played
an important role as a constituent of the incense that many
different kinds of churches employed in their
ceremonials.
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