Incense
From www.plantsasmedicine.com
1st row:
1. Makko powder, 抹香, (Machilus thunbergii)
2. Borneol camphor (Dryobalanops aromatica) Sumatra
3. Benzoin resin (Styrax benzoin)
4. True Frankincense, Boswellia sacra
2nd row:
5. Guggul (Commiphora wightii)
6. Golden Frankincense (Boswellia papyrifera)
7. Tolu balsam (Myroxylon toluifera)
8. Somalian Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
3rd row:
9. Labdanum (Cistus villosus)
10. Opoponax (Commiphora opoponax)
11. White Indian Sandalwood powder (Santalum album)
The ancient Chinese thought of incense as "medicine that one can inhale." Examples of such medicinal incenses include frankincense and myrrh.
Incense derived from plants can have important medicinal properties. Burning or heating incense to produce vapor can be a method of delivering medicinal plant compounds to people, as well as to other animals.
The Ancient Egyptians burned incense every morning at the temple of Ra, their sun god. A plethora of Egyptian glyphs show incense being used and being associated with the gods. The Ancient Greeks and the Romans used incense to a large degree also.
Types of incense include combustible and non-combustible incense.[1]
The Ancient Egyptians used the following types of incense:[2]
Olibanum (Boswellia spp.)
Myrrh (Commiphora spp.)
Bdellium (Commiphora wightii)
Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)
Styrax (Liquidamber orientalis)
Santal (Santalum album)
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum)
Aloe wood (Aloe succotrina)
Cedar (Cedrus spp.)
Juniper (Juniperus communis).
Embalming:[2]
Styrax, myrrh, colophonium (Pinus palustris), cedar and labdanum (Cistus ladaniferus)
