Egyptian pharaohs used the resin to apply artificial beards made from goat hair, which was a popular fashion among the elite. The resin was collected with a claw-like comb from the coats of animals who wandered around the shrubs and collected the gum in their hair....
Feature photo: From Florihana Onycha is one of the four spices mentioned in the Old Testament (Exodus 30:34) and as an ingredient of Ketoret. Like many other herbs and spices mentioned during Biblical times, the origin of onycha is shrouded in debate, starting with...
Feature photo: Spikenard- www.drewmonkman.com Efforts to artificially propagate the species have shown mixed results, because it is not economically attractive for collectors to switch from wild to commercial cultivation. Some estimates indicate that the collector’s...
Photo: www.ericamcneal.com Galbanum was actively traded in pre- and post-Biblical times. It was sourced largely from Mesopotamia and Turkey. Today, these countries continue to be major producers. Galbanum is not known to grow in Israel, and the Israeli plants database...
Styrax benzoin inhabits the Sumatran region of Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia. It is grown as an ornamental shade tree in West Africa. It grows to a height of 12 meters. The tree is a source of benzoin resin. Sumatra benzoin is produced from...
Boswellia papyrifera grows fairly extensively in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, and Sudan. It is a deciduous species that is taller than B. frereana and B. sacra, reaching 12 meters, with a clear bole. The species grows on steep escarpments in locations where other species...
