January 6th is approaching and with it the Epiphany, the day on which according to Christian tradition the Three Wise Men arrive to bring their gifts to Jesus: gold, myrrh and – precisely – incense. Incense is the gift brought by Melchior, probably a symbol of divinity and incorruptibility of Jesus. It is a mixture of oleoresinsgums, but also bark and leaves of various plants (in particular of the Boswellia genus) which are burned for their scent. The mystical meaning associated with it is that of raise prayers to heavenor to cast out demons, from a more practical point of view, was probably the only way to smell the environments. There are different forms of incense (from cones to classic sticks) and even incense that does not burn directly.
What is incense
When we talk about incense, we are talking about a wide range of substances, plants, forms and smells. The term incense derives from the Latin “set fire” and therefore, in a broad sense, it can indicate any substance that produces a perfume once burned: from bark to resins to leaves.
Traditionally, mixtures of oil and gum resins from different trees are used, from Glycyrrhiza glabra (for licorice friends) to Eugenia caryophyllata (from which cloves are also obtained), but the most used belong to genus Boswelliaespecially the Boswellia sacra.
We are used to the classic sticks (simple or wrapped around a bamboo base), but in reality, it is also available in small conesin powder or in long spirals. What’s more, not all incense burns! There is both incense and direct combustion that that to indirect combustion. The first, like the sticks we are used to, is lit, the flame quickly goes out to form embers and continues to burn on its own, while the second needs a external source of heat to release the fragrance: it is in fact placed on hot surfaces, such as hot stones or hot coals.
How incense is produced and where it comes from
Through engraving of the bark, the resin is collected which is then dried and pulverized. For indirect combustion incense, the powders obtained are simply mixed. The direct combustion one requires other steps and above all other ingredients.
A binding material, mixed with water, is used to combine all the ingredients. Then add a fuel (coal or bark) and an oxidizing agent (usually potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate) respectively to support and make the embers that form when we light it homogeneous.
Essential oils can be added, but not in excessive quantities because they could compromise combustion. Finally, a is added fixingto prevent perfume from being lost during the drying and storage phase.
The paste obtained from this mixing can be extruded to form small sticks of incense only and spirals, shaped into cones or, in the case of sticks with bamboo stems, the slat is dipped repeatedly into the mixture.
Religious ceremonies, scenting and meditation
Since ancient times, incense has been used in sacred functions, as a sign of prayer reaching the divinity, to ward off evil spirits (on the other hand, to draw a parallel with plants, they use essential oils to repel insects) and as a symbol of transformation of body into soul, in the case of the Christian tradition.
Because incense is a gift from the Three Kings
With its scent, incense immediately refers to a dimension mystical and impalpable, to something religious or in any case spiritual. So much so that its use is shared by cultures and religions that are very distant and different from each other, from Hinduism to Buddhism to Christianity. Its importance in the Christian tradition is demonstrated by its use during religious functions and by the fact that it is one of the gifts brought to Jesus by Melchior, one of the Magi, whose meaning is open to various interpretations.
According to that of the Iberian poet Prudentius, in the hymn dedicated to the Epiphany, incense is a symbol of divinity of Jesus. According to other interpretations, it would be a symbol ofincorruptibility and immortality of God, because the resins of which it is composed rarely develop mold or putrefy.
On a practical level, at that time burning odorous plant parts was probably the only (or fastest) way to perfume the rooms and cover unpleasant odors. It was considered such a precious commodity that it had its own trade route, the so-called Incense Streetwhich went from Yemen and Oman throughout the Arabian peninsula until reaching the Mediterranean.
Today incense, in addition to spiritual and religious uses, is also consumed for more profane purposes, such as perfuming the home or meditationand in some cultures it is used as a complementary therapy to official medicine (even if there are no studies confirming any therapeutic properties).
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