Incense and Fragrant

Sub Section: Ship(Dhow)building Bee keeping Horse Breeding Camel Breedding Incense & Fragrant Halwa

Incense or bokhur is burned daily in most Omani homes. Omani villages have their own bokhur maker who produces an incense unique to that area using various ingredients, such as rosewater, sugar, ambergris, sandalwood, frankincense and myrrh. Bokhur is burned in an incense burner made from clay, porcelain or silver. The bokhur is scattered over red hot charcoals and left to smoulder, releasing the fragrance which will permeate clothes and furniture. Frankincense is also used extensively throughout the Sultanate for a variety of purposes. The Dhofari frankincense is considered amongst the best in the world

Frankincense

Frankincense formed the basis of  trade between ancient civilizations as long as 7,000 years ago. It was on account of frankincense that the camel caravans set forth from Dhofar in south Oman on journeys to Mesopotamia, Syria and Egypt, even to the Palestinian port of Gaza from where the precious cargo was shipped to Europe and especially to ancient Rome.

The Omani frankincense tree, Boswelia sacra, grows to a height of around 5 metres. Both it and the trees from which myrrh is derived, Commiphora myrrha, belong to the family Burseraceae whose members have resin ducts in their bark.

                       

In Oman the trees are found in a relatively restricted habitat, just out of range of the monsoon rains but where cool winds depress air temperatures in hot summer months in the Dhofar region.

In Oman the trees are found in a relatively restricted habitat, just out of range of the monsoon rains but where cool winds depress air temperatures in hot summer months in the Dhofar region.

At the beginning of April, as soon as the temperatures start to rise, the frankincense gatherers cut the frankincense trees in many places. The first 'cut' is called the tawqii and consists of paring off the outer bark of the branches and trunk. This causes a milky-white liquid to ooze from the tree which quickly solidifies and is left in this condition for 14 days or so. The second 'cut' which follows this period, produces resin of an inferior quality and the real harvest begins two weeks after the second 'cut'. With this third 'cut' the tree produces frankincense resin of  yellowish color which is sold commercially in the market.

The 'cutting' of the frankincense trees calls for great skill. The harvest lasts for 3 months and the average yield of frankincense resin for one tree is around 10 kilos. The Governorate of  Dhofar produces approx. 7,000 tones of frankincense annually

Omani frankincense, which is considered to be the finest quality in the world, is still much in demand in many countries. It is an important ingredient in the manufacture of incense which is burned on social occasions, in the manufacture of medicines, fragrant, powders, perfumes, candles as well as in halls of worship around the world.

Rose fragrant & Rosewater

On the slopes of Jebel Akhdar, there are rose terraces, which produce the most heavenly smelling rose water and rose fragrant (attar). Rosewater is used in religious ceremonies, in cooking and also in beauty treatments. Distilling fragrant from the rose petals is a difficult procedure and the Jebel Akhdar rose has a short bloom, lasting only for a few weeks in April. Consequently this fragrant is expensive, but has one of the most beautiful perfumes.

Jasmine is an abundant flowering shrub in the Sultanate which releases its fragrance at night. People often collect the flowers and leave them in dishes to perfume rooms of the house.

One of the most prized fragrance items in Oman is oudh, which is imported from Cambodia, India and Malaysia. It is a musky-smelling wood which may be burned or from which fragrant can be extracted. It is very expensive and only used on important occasions such as Eid, weddings, funerals and to celebrate the birth of a child. The oudh fragrant will often be given as part of a woman's dowry, together with gold and other gifts.

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