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What is it? - Incense is a biotic material (meaning "relating to or resulting from living organisms") that is aromatic. When it is lit, an ember begins to burn. As it does so, the scent is released. However, it is not just a way to perfume your house–it is used in many ceremonies and is an important symbol in some religions.

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The name -

Incense takes its name from the Latin word incendere, meaning "to burn."

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Different types -

Incense can come in sticks and cones, also called dhoops. Nowadays there are many different fragrances and colors of incense, but the original was just the raw frankincense.

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The legend - Legend has it that incense was invented as a consolation for a queen who lost her kingdom and children.

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The legend - The queen cried out so loudly that the gods heard her call. As her tears gushed onto the ground, flowers started to spring up.

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The legend - Those flowers grew into trees with a fragrant resin that was later used to create incense. The Boswellia tree family grows in the mountainous parts of Africa and the Arab peninsula.

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Boswellia sacra - The Boswellia sacra looks quite a lot like an olive tree. But if you look closely and give it a sniff, you will smell that it is not.

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Other trees - Depending on where you are in the world, your incense may be made out of different things. Alongside frankincense, there is also myrrh, styrax, and copal.

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How is it made? - To extract the resin, you have to cut a little bit into the bark of the tree. Teardrops of liquid flow out and stick to the bark.

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How is it made? -

These droplets are left to the elements for a few days until the resin hardens and can be collected. The process is done every three years so the trees can regenerate in the meantime.

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The trees - It varies, but some trees can provide around 22 pounds (10 kg) of resin to make incense during their lifespan.

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Convenient use - Sticks and cones are made by grinding the resin into powder and binding it together with an agent. Essential oils are often used. Then sticks are dipped in or cones molded from the solution.

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Old as time -

Incense has been a part of human life for an astonishing 6,000 years. It was found to be part of Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. It is considered one of the first perfumed materials used by humans.

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How was it used? - For a long time, people have believed that incense awakens your spiritual mind. Egyptians used it in religious ceremonies to cleanse the temple and allow communication with the gods.

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Other uses - Archaeologists have also found traces of incense in the balm used in mummification. The kind of incense was myrrh, a typical scent added to balm for the dying.

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Insects - Back then, there were probably many more bugs than there are now. The Egyptians also used incense to irritate the insects and ward them off. It's likely that they used citronella for this purpose.

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Ancient China - Around 2000 BCE, incense was heavily used in Taoist, Confucianist, and Buddhist rituals. The Chinese even created buildings specially made for burning incense.

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Vedas -

Incense is first explicitly mentioned in the Vedas (c. 1500-1200 BCE), which are important Hindu scriptures. Incense was used as a medicinal tool in the first part of the Ayurvedic process. Back then, only monks could use incense because it was considered sacred.

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Religion - As Hinduism became more prominent and Buddhism developed, the use of incense was integrated into many religious ceremonies to cleanse the space before worship.

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Christianity - Meanwhile, the use of incense was also growing in Christianity, especially in the Orthodox and Catholic churches. It is meant to symbolize the prayer to faithfully rise up to heaven in the afterlife.

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Christianity -

It is clear that incense was a key part of many religions, not least in Christianity as shown by its presence in the story of the nativity. In his cradle, Jesus is brought frankincense by one of the three wise men.

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Hinduism -

In Hinduism, incense is offered to a god by turning the stick three times in a clockwise direction. It is usually to the embodiments of a god such as Rama, Krishna, and Lakshmi.

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Buddhism - In Buddhist ceremonies, the most common incense is sandalwood, perhaps because of how precious it is. During ceremonies, incense sticks must be burned singularly or in threes, depending on how important the god you are worshipping is.

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Further religious texts - Incense’s importance can be seen in seminal religious texts such as the Bible and the Koran. Therefore, it is no surprise that it is often considered as being connected to spirituality and higher powers.

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The incense trade route - Between the 7th century BCE and 2nd century CE, trade was flourishing for luxury goods such as incense, myrrh, spices, and precious stones. A vast network of trade routes connected the Mediterranean world to the Eastern world.

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The incense trade route - The trade routes covered land and sea, and so facilitated the widespread use of incense in religious and spiritual ceremonies.

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Japan - It is said that in the 14th-century samurais would put incense in their helmets so that if they were decapitated in battle at least they would smell good. It was all part of their belief in an honorable death.

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Japan - In the 15th and 16th centuries, incense became an art in Japan. The middle classes created Kōdō. It is literally the art of appreciating incense in a ceremonial fashion.

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Modernity -

Incense is now used in all kinds of contexts. From making a room simply smell nice, to spiritual practices and religious services. It can be bought in most Asian markets and spirituality shops.

Sources: (Heddels) (Carrément Belle) (Britannica)

See also: Everything you need to know about Buddhism

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