Frankincense and Myrrh: History, Meaning and What They Actually Smell Like

Frankincense and myrrh are two of the oldest fragrance materials in the world. Long before they appeared in the nativity story, they were traded across ancient routes, burned in temples, and used as medicine. Here is what they actually are, why they carry such weight, and what makes them still worth burning today.

What is frankincense?

Frankincense is a resin - a hardened, aromatic sap - tapped from the bark of Boswellia trees native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. When heated, it releases a complex fragrance: warm and woody at the base, with a brightness that sits somewhere between pine and citrus, and a soft, slightly sweet finish. It has been burned in religious and ceremonial contexts for at least five thousand years.

Its value in the ancient world was considerable. Frankincense was traded along routes stretching from Somalia and Oman through Egypt and into the Mediterranean, making it one of the most economically significant commodities of the pre-modern world. It was used as an offering to gods, burned in temples to carry prayers upward with the smoke, and applied medicinally. Researchers at the University of Cardiff have found evidence that frankincense resin may have anti-inflammatory properties, and it has been used as a traditional remedy in parts of North Africa for centuries.

What is myrrh?

Myrrh is a related resin, extracted from Commiphora trees also native to north-eastern Africa and south-west Asia. It is reddish-brown in raw form, and distils into a warm amber oil. The scent is earthier and more complex than frankincense - woody and resinous, with a slightly bitter undertone that gives it depth and gravity.

Myrrh had a long history as a medicinal substance, used to treat wounds, relieve pain, and fight infection. It was also traditionally used in embalming and as a funeral incense, which gave it an association with death and passage - significant context for its appearance among the gifts brought to Jesus.

Why were they gifts to Jesus?

The story of the Magi bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh is familiar, but the symbolic logic behind the choice of gifts is less often examined. Gold signified kingship - it was the material of rulers. Frankincense, burned as a sacred offering to gods, suggested divinity. Myrrh, associated with burial rites, was read by many early theologians as a foreshadowing of death.

There is an alternative theory, worth noting: some scholars have suggested the gifts were intended for Mary rather than the child, with the healing properties of frankincense and myrrh relevant to recovery after childbirth, and the gold providing practical means for a safe journey home. It remains speculation, but it shifts the reading in an interesting direction.

No single interpretation is definitive. What is clear is that these were not random choices -- frankincense and myrrh were among the most precious and symbolically loaded substances in the ancient world, and their selection as gifts was deliberate.

What do they smell like today?

Burned together, frankincense and myrrh create something ancient and immediately recognisable - resinous, deep, and quietly ceremonial, with enough warmth to feel grounding rather than austere. It is a combination that has been used in places of worship across Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism for thousands of years, which perhaps explains why so many people find it calming without quite being able to say why.

Our Frankincense & Myrrh candle combines the resin frankincense with warm amber and rock rose, deep myrrh, and a grounding base of cedar, vetiver, and patchouli. It is one of our most meditative fragrances - well suited to quiet evenings, reflective moments, or simply a room that benefits from some depth.