Of Perfumes & Gods
— Tales of Olibanum —
An exploration of one of the world’s most desired perfumes...
Beyond the sands of the great desert there grows a rare tree whose white blood hoards the ancient gods’ favourite perfume.
The sages call the trees Boswellia sacra Flueck. Others know it as al lubān; as franc encens, or frankincense.
I like to call it olibanum.
It all began in December. I was looking for some plant substance to research, and ended up writing about olibanum. It was supposed to be a short article... until it suddenly wasn't so short.
I was irrevocably drawn into its scented, mysterious folds. And found myself hunting for rare luxury perfumes to sniff what olibanum feels like; heating resin drops in a tablespoon; reading Latin riddles for Saturnalia; learning about divination via incense in ancient cultures... And being ever-curious, ever-thirsty for more.
{ Read the first chapter, Olibanum in a flask, here }
