What Are Myrhh & Frankincense?

History

• Ancient Egyptians, Israelites, Greeks and Romans burned frankincense and myrrh in their religious temples. The Biblical Old and New Testaments mentioned frankincense and myrrh numerous times. Egyptian priests used frankincense as part of their mummification ritual. According to the Middle Eastern Institute, the herbs masked the smell of death during funeral ceremonies.

Medicinal Properties

• Ancient Chinese physicians prescribed a combination of frankincense and myrrh to improve the circulation, reduce painful lumps or swellings and to treat traumatic injury. Myrrh and frankincense are still used in herbal medicine as of 2010. Frankincense contains chemicals called boswellic acids that have anti-inflammatory properties, and myrrh contains chemicals called guggulsterones that lower cholesterol.

Harvesting the Herbs

• Harvesting occurs between January and March and again from August to October. Some harvesters slash the outer bark of the trees using a specially designed knife and allow the liquid to pour out quickly, while others scrape away portions of the bark to allow the sap to escape. The resins are dried, sorted and shipped around the world.