The Forgotten Merchants Of Frankincense

Going back far enough in time, the history of any nomadic group becomes confused and uncertain. That is the nature of nomadic culture: transient, adaptive, and often existing without a written record. The Nabataeans, who lived near the Dead Sea and in the Arabian Peninsula, only came to the attention of the Greeks and Romans because they traded frankincense. This aromatic resin is collected from the Boswellia sacra tree, native to Yemen, Oman, and the Horn of Africa. Frankincense was immensely popular in ancient times, burnt as incense in religious rituals. It permeated pagan Rome as enthusiastically as it served Christian Byzantium. Its intoxicating smell subsumed the foul odors of urban places and allowed worshippers to feel more connected with the spiritual. It is mentioned in the New Testament as a gift from wise men to the newborn Jesus (Matthew 2:11). That it was presented along with gold gives an idea of its perceived value in the ancient world. <a href="https://medium.com/teatime-history/the-forgotten-merchants-of-frankincense-b67c044fb64d">Click Here</a>