The History of Frankincense

by: Betsy Clark

The History of Frankincense

The Ancient History of Frankincense

Frankincense resin after first cut

 Frankincense oil has an incredibly rich history.  It was used in ancient days from China, to the Holy lands, throughout the Arabian Peninsula and all throughout the Roman Empire into Europe.  There are many species of frankincense, but those that have been most historically valued for their many properties are Boswellia carterii, and Boswellia sacra.  The oil from both of these species is obtained from the hardened resin that accumulates after shaving off the bark of the tree.  The resin is then hardened for a period of time and distilled to produce the oil. 

Frankincense was known as the “holy anointing oil” of the Middle East and was used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years. In ancient days it was considered more valuable than gold and was treasured for religious ceremonies, purification, medicinal applications, and spiritual uses.  The wealthy and powerful obtained frankincense for many purposes and it was often buried with them.  The Roman Emperor, Nero, was said to have burned a year’s harvest worth of frankincense at the funeral of his mistress.  

Ebers Papyrus (Circa 1500BC),
medical scroll from Ancient Egypt

Frankincense was a key ingredient in the Holy Incense of  the Bible as well as being presented to the Christ Child at His birth.  The Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical scroll dating to the 16th century BC, claimed that frankincense was “used to treat every conceivable ill known to man”.  It also claimed that frankincense was good for “everything from gout to a broken head.”  In this same medical script, frankincense was listed as a remedy for throat and larynx infections, bleeding, cuts, phlegm, asthma, and vomiting.  In the Middle East and throughout Asia and Africa, people traditionally were known to use frankincense to beautify the skin and to aid digestion.  It was chewed in its resin form like a gum to support the teeth and gums and bring good health.  It was used in its solid and  distilled form for inflammation issues; such as arthritis, healing wounds, strengthening the hormone system, air purifications, and pest repellant.  Its aromatic properties were thought to be emotionally grounding and centering and to promote greater spiritual awareness.

The Modern History of Frankincense

In modern times, these species of frankincense are being used in hospitals in Europe and the United States.  Both Boswellia carterii and Boswellia sacra have been the subject of extensive research on cancer and immune function for the high content in boswelic acid.   While these two types of frankincense were long thought to be synonymous, recent research has shown them to be two distinct species.  Boswellia carterii originates in Yemen and Somalia, while Boswellia sacra originates in Oman.  Chemical analysis has shown that sacra has fewer compounds than carterii but a higher content of Alpha-pinenes and incensol.   Alpha-pinenes, incensol and boswellic acids are the components that are being studied for their abilities to fight cancer.  According to one research study, frankincense essential oils appears to distinguish cancerous cells from normal bladder cells and suppress cancer cell viability (http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/9/6/).   While carterii and sacra have both historically been used to boost the immune system, fight disease, improve mood and mental function, and support skin health; carterii appears to have a stronger effect on the immune system while sacra appears to have stronger regenerative properties.

Young Living is the world’s leader in the production of the finest quality, most therapeutic and potent frankincense essential oil.  Gary Young has traveled the Middle East for nearly 20 years, into Oman, through Somalia, and even into the extremely dangerous country of Yemen, to study and procure the best frankincense the world has to offer.  For many years Gary had a dream of seeing real Omani Sacred Frankincense being in the hands of people all over the world.  In 2010, after talks and negotiations with trade officials in the Ministry of Agriculture in Salalah, Oman; Young Living fulfilled all the ministries’ requirements and established two Sacred Frankincense distilleries.  This was the first time in modern history that Sacred Frankincense had been exported from Oman.   Gary saw his dream fulfilled!  At the 2010 Young Living Convention, Gary had the privilege of placing Sacred Frankincense in the hands of Young Living members from around the world.  To this day, Young Living alone has exclusive rights to export Sacred Frankincense from Oman for distillation and distribution.  Young Living always has, and will continue to pave the way in the distillation, use, and research of Frankincense Essential Oil. 

Gary Young with frankincense farmer under large frankincense tree

How My Family Uses Frankincense

Frankincense is one of my very favorite essential oils.  I find the fragrance so warm and comforting.  I could just bathe in it because it smells so good!  We love to keep this oil on hand for so many reasons.  

Ways my family uses frankincense

• When someone in my gets a sniffle or is feeling under the weather we love to use frankincense to stimulate our immune systems.  We add a few drops to a capsule and take it orally, diffuse or add a few drops to herbal tea with some honey.  YUM!
• When someone in our home is feeling down, we like to anoint with frankincense on the back of the neck and the forehead and diffuse.  It usually brightens our mood. 
• Life can get pretty stressful.  There is work to do, bills to pay, houses to clean (can I get a collective "ugh"?  Thanks!  I know you feel me).  For the kiddos there is the pressure of school and that all too fun pre-teen social anxiety.  When life gets crazy and we are feeling frazzled we love to diffuse or anoint with frankincense.  It relaxes us and helps us feel more emotionally stable and ready to face life's challenges.
• Yes, I can be highly distractible.  Yes, so can a couple of my children.  We find that a drop of frankincense on our temples or diffused helps us focus on the task at hand. 
• We have found that frankincense has really helped our family with inflammation and swelling from injuries. Recently I ACCIDENTALLY slammed my daughters fingers in the van door.  Yes, I know... I'm mom of the year.  Her fingers swelled immediately  I quickly anointed her fingers with frankincense and the swelling disappeared within a half an hour.  Go frankincense!!!
• We have found frankincense very helpful in  soothing mouth sores.  I have two children with braces and they often get sores in their mouths. When this happens we find that frankincense helps it heal and soothe.
• I live in South Carolina.  We have mosquitos the size of birds.  Applying frankincense help to soothe and calm the itch of our mosquito bites.
• I love to anoint my temples with frankincense to help relieve the occasional headache
• I want to take care of my skin and I DO NOT want to look older than necessary!  I find that applying frankincense to my face and then applying my moisturizer as normal helps to even my skin tone and reduce wrinkles.  I like that!!!

References:

Cancer Research:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/12/253/

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/258021628_Management_of_basal_cell_carcinoma_of_the_skin_using_frankincense_%28Boswellia_sacra%29_essential_oil_a_case_report (click on "Full Text" on right side of page)

Inflammation and immune boosting research

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24844534

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19814859

Essential Oils Desk Reference. Sixth ed. U.S.A.: Life Science Pub., 2014. Print.

Higley, Connie. Reference Guide for Essential Oils. 14th ed. Spanish Fork: Abundant Health, 2013. Print.

Welcome to the History of Essential Oils

by: Betsy Clark

Welcome to the the History of Essential Oils

If you have found your way to this page, you may have noticed that talk of essential oils has been popping up all over the place lately.  They seem to be the latest craze hitting the alternative healing world, but contrary to the belief of many, essential oils are not some new fad that has blown in and will blow out just as quickly.  On the contrary, essential oils are no fad at all.  They have been around for thousands of years and have been used medicinally, ceremonially, and aromatically for just as long. 

Ancient Uses of Essential Oils

Alabaster Jar recovered from
King Tutunkhamun's tomb

Plants and plants as essential oils were the original medicines.  Records date back to 4500 BC of the use of plant substances with aromatic properties used for medicinal, spiritual, and ceremonial applications.  The Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical scroll over 870 feet long and dating back to 1500 BC, was discovered in 1817.  In it was found over 800 different herbal remedies, many of these referring to essential oils.  In this scroll, it is said, “Frankincense is good for everything from gout to a broken head.”  Many other ancient scrolls, including the Bible, mention different essential oils such as myrrh, frankincense, pine, juniper, cinnamon, and spikenard.  In 1922, King Tut’s tomb was discovered and with it 50 alabaster jars designed to hold 350 liters of oil.  Because essential oils were known to be such a valuable commodity, tomb raiders chose to steal this precious oil over the other treasures that could have been taken from the tomb.  The image on the left if of one of the alabaster jars found in King Tut’s tomb.

Egypt was not alone in its usage of essential oils for many purposes; other cultures also recognized the value of essential oils.  Ancient civilizations from the Mediterranean and the Middle East studied and applied the use of essential oils.  Hippocrates, the Greek “Father of Medicine,” studied at the school of Cos in Egypt where he learned many uses for essential oils.   The Romans diffused essential oils in their temples, political buildings, and bath houses to purify, increase vigor, and ward off disease.  Roman soldiers were known to rub a blend of essential oils on their feet to instill courage before going off to war.  Essential oils were even used during the Middle Ages.  During this time, an enterprising band of thieves used herbs and essential oils in a vinegar blend, known as Marseilles Vinegar, in an effort to ward off the Black Death while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying. 

Terra cotta distillery from 350BC.
 Photographed by Gary Young in the museum in
Taxila, Pakistan

These ancient cultures used various methods of extracting essential oils from plant matter.  One of the oldest methods of doing this was crushing plant matter and mixing it with animal fat to draw out the essential oils, which is known as effleurage.  Other methods of removing essential oils from the plant included soaking plant parts in boiling water, cold pressing, soaking in alcohol, and steam distillation.  The Ancient Arabians perfected the process of distillation.  Young Living Essential Oils founder, Gary Young, has himself discovered many distilleries in his travels through the Middle East.   In 1975, on an archeology trip in the Indus Valley, Dr. Paolo Rovesti recognized a distillation device made from terra cotta in the Taxila Museum in Pakistan dating to circa 3000BC.  This is currently the oldest know distiller in the world.  The image pictured to the left was photographed by Gary Young of a terra cotta distiller in the Taxilla Museum.  

Modern Uses of Essential Oils

Mid- 20th Century French lavender distillation

Unfortunately, over time the knowledge of the use of plants and essential oils for healing was largely lost, especially in the West.  Essential oils were rediscovered again in the late 19th and early 20th century.  During World War I, essential oils were used in military and civilian hospitals and were recognized for their antibacterial and wound healing qualities.  In 1907, René-Maurice Gattefossé led a group of scientists in the research and study of essential oils.  In his book, Aromatherapy, he documented the story of how he used essential oils to heal a severe wound he received when his lab exploded.  The use of essential oils during World War II on battlefield injuries was prompted by the information shared by Gattefossé and his colleagues pertaining to the use of essential oils in his recovery.  The success of this usage eventually led to continued research into essential oils, including their antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties.

Today, Young Living continues to make history as we lead the way in improving the essential oil industry.  By monitoring the process of the production of our essential oils from Seed to Seal we ensure we have the highest quality, most therapeutic essential oils on the market.  Gary Young and a team of scientist that partner with him continue to innovate new ways to improve upon the cultivation, harvesting, distillation, and testing process as well as research plants and species to discover the many properties that contribute to the wellness of Young Living members around the globe.

Gary Young at French Distillery in the 90's

As we can see, the use of essential oils is not a fad; they have been used for many purposes for thousands of years.  Much research is being done to add to the plethora of historical information we have on these amazing oils.  If historical evidence gives us any indication to their effectiveness, we can expect them to continue to be used long into the future.  Maybe it’s time to take a look back into history to discover what we have forgotten about the information our ancestors knew and how they effectively used essential oils.