Flame-coloured are his wings, and coloured like flame is his body. His lips are sweet as honey, and his breath is like frankincense.
Oscar Wilde, The Nightingale and the Rose
You can’t travel far in Oman without hearing the word frankincense. Every Omani home burns this fragrant resin daily, it is an intrinsic part of Omani life. Not only does it make the home smell nice, it also keeps flying insects such as mosquitoes at bay. The best quality frankincense is steeped overnight in water which is then drunk at breakfast time to treat a variety of ailments. And inhaling the smoke is said to be good for asthma.
It is not to be confused with the cheaper incense, which traditionally is used by women to fragrance their clothing. They burn it and drape their clothes on a wooden framework directly above.
In Salalah our guide Hussain had told us how frankincense has become more expensive in recent years as people around the world are discovering (or should that be re-discovering?) its value. But he talked of it as you would of a basic necessity for which you now had to pay more these days; not as a luxury you might have to give up.
Frankincense in Dhofar
The story of the Dhofar region in particular is inextricably linked to this one tree and the wealth that flowed from trading its resin; a historical precursor to the more recent history of oil in this part of the world perhaps? The story of frankincense here is so important that UNESCO has designated four sites under the umbrella of the Land of Frankincense. The listing states that:
‘The frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah and the remains of the caravan oasis of Shisr/Wubar and the affiliated ports of Khor Rori and Al-Baleed vividly illustrate the trade in frankincense that flourished in this region for many centuries, as one of the most important trading activities of the ancient and medieval world.’
To visit these sites is to appreciate the deep relationship between frankincense and the lives of the people of this region that dates back for centuries. Let me take you there …
Wadi Dokah
It is from this Dhofar region in southern Oman that the best frankincense of all is said to come; growing in a narrow climate band just beyond the reach of the summer monsoon but still under the influence of coastal winds.
On a flat low-lying plain north of Salalah an area has been planted with the young trees. This is part of a project to replace those being lost through over-exploitation. Their yield is reduced if the bark is cut while still too young, or if the tree is not rested every five or six years. It is also affected by animal grazing and climate change. The site is one of the four listed by UNESCO as the ‘Land of Frankincense’.
Our guide demonstrated the tool, known as a managaf that is used to shave the bark. This releases the precious resin. This is a labour-intensive process, which explains in part the high value placed on the end product. The scarred trees have to be left for a week or more while the sap oozes out. After the little drops of resin are scraped off, the same spot is re-cut. The process is repeated several times until the final harvest which yields the palest and most valuable resin.
Wubar
The small archaeological site of Wubar, also known as Ubar or Shisr, was a former resting point on the frankincense trade routes. These ruins were only discovered in 1992 when they were picked up by satellite imagery. The satellite images also reveal ancient trade routes converging on the site, apparently made by the passage of hundreds of thousands of camels.
Looking into the history of this place it is hard sometimes to separate fact from fiction. The original discoverers of the site were Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Nicholas Clapp. They suggested it was Ubar, the so-called ‘Atlantis of the Sands’; a legendary city said to have sunk beneath the dunes of the Empty Quarter, much as the other Atlantis sank beneath the sea. But even if such a city exists, some historians dispute Wubar’s claim to be it. They argue that its role was more that of a caravanserai than a complete city, a trading post where caravans of camels laden with frankincense would load up on water and other supplies before heading into the daunting Empty Quarter on their way to the ports of the Mediterranean.
Archaeological evidence is inconclusive. From the ruins it appears that there was a fort here surrounded by an eight-sided wall, with a tower at each corner; a description which matches that of the legendary Ubar in ancient documents. It seems that part of this fort collapsed when a sinkhole formed underneath it; several feet of sand eventually covered all the ruins, so it did sink into the desert sands as the legend describes. While some say that it appears far too small to have ever been described as a city, others argue that people quite likely lived in tents at that time, and it would not have been uncommon for a fort to be the only permanent structure in a city.
So far however excavations at the site have revealed nothing old enough to verify the claims; and some of the items found indicate a much later period of habitation.
Sumhuram
Sumhuram lies on the coast east of Salalah. There has been a port here, known as Khor Rori, since the 3rd century BC. From the 1st century BC onwards it became especially significant in the export of frankincense from Oman. The fortified town of Sumhuram was built to guard the port, which lies just below on a natural inlet from the sea. Today that inlet is separated from the sea by a sand bar; it is home to flamingos and many migratory birds.
When we visited we saw archaeologists were at work inside the old walls, led by a team from Pisa. Only last week, we were told, one of them had found an old coin here.
We saw the small gate which led down to the port, and the much larger main gate which faced inland. This had several right-angled turns to make it easier to defend. Inscriptions have been found on the gate which have helped historians piece together the story of the city and its importance to the frankincense trade. It was, as the leaflet we were given describes it, ‘a global trade hub’; a significant link in the network that linked the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean.
We walked through this gate to the former residential area. Only the foundations of the houses remain, but they would once have stood two stories high. The museum on the site displays various finds from the site are exhibited, and a video helps to bring the place to life.
Al Baleed archaeological site and the Museum of the Frankincense Land
But to really understand the significance of the trade in frankincense to this region, a visit to the Museum of the Frankincense Land is a must. This is located just outside Salalah, next to the archaeological site of Al Baleed, the remains of a medieval trading port. The frankincense trade flourished here between the 8th to 16th centuries AD; so the port is much more recent than that of Khor Rori at Sumhuram. The most significant building on the site is a large mosque. It had 148 pillars surrounding a courtyard, of which only a few stumps were preserved. There is also a citadel and residential houses.
We spent most of our visit in the museum howeve. It covers much more than the story of frankincense. There are artefacts dating back thousands of years right through to recent Omani history, including the coming to power of Sultan Qaboos (the ruler at the time of our visit, who died in 2020). He oversaw the modernisation of Oman, building roads, schools and hospitals. But in this modern society frankincense still retains its significance and is highly prized, as I hope I have shown.
I visited Oman in 2019
26 Comments
SoyBend
Fascinating! I never knew the origin of frankincense. They’re an interesting looking tree.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Siobhan – it’s not something I’d thought about before visiting Oman either! The tree isn’t exactly pretty but I did find it photogenic 🙂
wetanddustyroads
This is very interesting Sarah. I have never before heard of this tree (or the value of it). And I always like a walk between old ruins – beautiful pictures!
Your post had exactly what makes it interesting to read – amazing history and great photo’s!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed this and found it interesting 🙂
rkrontheroad
Now I find myself wishing, as with sights and sounds, I could download a little clip that would smell like frankincense! A historic and still desired treasure from the desert.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, wouldn’t it be great to be able to share scents in our posts – well, some of them at least 😆
rkrontheroad
Yes, we’d definitely want to be selective! 😉
photobyjohnbo
I’ve known the term “frankincense” since my earliest days from the Christmas story, but never gave a thought as to how it might be harvested. Thanks for an interesting and enlightening post, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, I was the same prior to this trip. I found it all fascinating, so I’m glad others are finding it so too 🙂
Leela Gopinath
Thanks Sarah for this valuable blog on Frankincense. Learnt a lot about it!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, that’s nice to hear 🙂
Easymalc
I’m sure that I’ve read some of your posts that included frankincense before somewhere, but this is an excellent article that covers everything in one place. Dhofar seems such an intriguing place, and your photos do it justice as always Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Malcolm 🙂 I covered some of this in my TravellersPoint journal at the time so you may be remembering it from there or from Facebook perhaps?
lisaonthebeach
Fascinating! I had no idea exactly what frankincense actually was! I would like to smell it, I don’t know if I’d want to taste it, but I might 😊 So I learned something new today! Thank you!
Sarah Wilkie
Most of this was new to me too Lisa, until we went to Oman 😀 The smell is lovely, like very good incense. I’m not sure I’d like to taste it either however!
Anna
Brilliant Sarah! You know how I love these sorts of places! I remember when you visited Oman and how I added it my travel bucket list after seeing your photos. I’ll get there one day!
Sarah Wilkie
I remember you getting very keen on the idea of a visit Anna, and I know you’d love it 😀 I hope you get there one day soon!
restlessjo
I thought only that it’s quite an ugly tree and I have no idea how it smells, but Oman does seem an interesting destination.
kzmcb
Frankincense is going on the shopping list.
Sarah Wilkie
I should have mentioned Karen a) that we bought some, and b) that Hussain gifted us some too 🙂
kzmcb
Brilliant. I’m not even sure where I’d get it, but I have an idea where to start.
Sarah Wilkie
The tree isn’t pretty, it’s true Jo, but I found it quite photogenic in its starkness, especially in these desert settings. The burning frankincense smells lovely (if you’ve every been in a church with a thurible you’ll have smelled something similar). And Oman was a fascinating place to visit for sure 🙂
sustainabilitea
That’s was very interesting, Sarah. Thanks. I didn’t know anything about frankincense except what’s mentioned in the Bible.
janet
Sarah Wilkie
Thank Janet – I didn’t know much myself before we went to Oman!
thehungrytravellers.blog
Cool place to visit and such a wealth of interesting frankincense facts. Like lots of travellers, we’re always fascinated by the history of trading and trade routes and how cities grew around the trading posts- and yet in some cases it didn’t happen and the site became abandoned. We visited a huge derelict “han” in Turkey in 2020, it must have been a riotous overnight stop given its size. Incidentally, Kairouan (where we’ve just been) takes its name from the word “caravan” as in “caravanserai”. You might already know that though!
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, I think there’s something about the ghosts of travellers past that speaks to us in such places. We visited several caravanserai in Uzbekistan – some restored and repurposed, at least one that was ruined. They help to bring to life the world of those ancient traders. Oh and yes, I did know about Kairouan 😉