Frankincense and myrrh may seem like odd gifts now, but in the ancient world, they were highly prized. They were used for religious ceremonies and medicinal purposes.
Frankincense had calming, aromatic qualities and was mixed with a variety of spices to form incense, while myrrh was more commonly used in medicines and perfumes.
The most notable mention of past use of frankincense and myrrh is in the Bible. Gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were referred to as treasures and presented to baby Jesus in Bethlehem by the three wise men.
These substances were just as valuable as gold, maybe even more so. They were in use long before arriving in Bethlehem. Both substances were produced from the resin of trees in the Burseraceae family.
In the trunk of a tree, a small cut is made, allowing the sap to drain out slowly and dry. Frankincense comes from Boswellia trees, and myrrh comes from Commiphora trees.
They grow in harsh desert climates and serve as important sources of income for communities because they can harvest resin during the dry season when other opportunities to earn money are scarce.
However, frankincense and myrrh are now under threat. The tree that produces frankincense, Boswellia sacra, is listed as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN’s Red List.
It is native to Yemen, Somalia, and Oman. The tree has faced extensive over-harvesting, which has significantly reduced its population.
A closely related tree, Boswellia papyrifera in northern Ethiopia, is currently the main source of frankincense. In this area, fires and over-grazing are preventing saplings from growing into mature trees.
jbphotographylt – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Damage from fire and pests has also harmed adult trees. The population size of the trees is projected to decline by 90 percent in 50 years if nothing is done to save them. Another estimate calculated a 71 percent decline in 25 years.
To prevent disaster, ecosystem management and sapling protection practices were implemented, including reducing resin extraction from trees and guarding them from grazing animals. But they have not been established on a large scale yet.
The conservation status of trees used for myrrh hasn’t been determined, but they are likely headed on the same path as frankincense. Myrrh is collected from several Commiphora tree species.
For example, Commiphora wightii, which is native to parts of India and Pakistan, is critically endangered due to over-harvesting for use in traditional medicine.
Frankincense and myrrh hold much spiritual significance, so their plight will affect many different faith groups who are consumers of the resins. Religious groups are actually important when it comes to raising awareness of sustainability and biodiversity loss.
Multiple faith groups in places like Ethiopia and Japan are working to protect biodiversity by planting trees to restore nature and practice ethical farming. With their help, frankincense and myrrh may not have to face a terrible fate.
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