The Middle East has garnered a significant reputation for being a land that is filled with indulgent lifestyles of extremely privileged individuals. The culture and traditions of the Middle-East have interestingly not changed much during the flow of time and, especially in the case of Oman, the ancient luxurious item that is frankincense is still a very sought after commodity. It is used in the most households as well as establishments such as Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, which is a beach resort Salalah has to offer, for its distinct exquisite fragrance.
Although its popularity has waned in many parts of the world, frankincense is still in very high demand in the Middle East, especially in the Sultanate of Oman.
The use of Frankincense as a fragrance goes as far back as the days of ancient Egypt, where it was a major produce in ‘the land of Put’, an ancient kingdom that existed in 25th century BC. In the present day, most of the world’s Frankincense is produced in Somalia, but the best and most prized of frankincense is from Oman.
Frankincense is graded according to a few factors such as aroma, and purity. The most commonly used factor is colour. The lowest grade frankincense has a brownish appearance to it, which is the most commonly found variety produced in Somalia. Yellowish varieties are valued a little further up the scale. The most prized kind of all is the silver variety which is called ‘Hojari’. This kind is almost exclusively produced in Oman.
A frankincense burner can easily be found in every Omani household, and following meals; the smoke of the resin is used to perfume clothes and dull any strong scents of the food. Recently, frankincense has been found to even kill cancer cells.
If you’re ever in Oman, be sure to ask about this incredible substance.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting.
