Incense, an aromatic resin harvested from the resin of desert trees in Salalah, has been prized for thousands of years for its distinctive smell and healing properties. As the highest-quality incense is collected from a rare species that grows in isolated lands in Oman’s southernmost province of Dhofar, the history of the region is intertwined with the production and trade of these ‘desert tears’.
From the ancient harbors where incense ships once sailed, to the rock-covered canyon floors where the sacred trees still grow, a series of UNESCO-recognized attractions help visitors trace the 5,000-year history of this remarkable resin. Even if you are short on time, visiting one or two sides of the Land of Incense gives you the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of one of the most sought-after luxuries of antiquity.
ANCIENT CITY OF SUMHURAM
Following an off-road path from Taqah Cliff (more about it here: Day 6: Wadi Darbat Waterfalls & Taqah Cliff), I drove to the Khor Rori lagoon (17.034894, 54.433046). I stood in awe, resting my eyes on the ancient ruins of the city, built on the hill on the other side of the bay. I imagined Khor Rori teeming with life thousands of years ago – ships in and out of the port overflowing with incense and other merchandise, vivid bazaars full of goods, the priests in the temple worshipping moon god – Sin.
Sumhuram, a trading center on the ancient frankincense trade route, was founded by the king of the Hadhramant, near the end of the 1st century BC, and became a major trading post for merchants from across the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The town was divided into various sectors, including a residential neighborhood with numerous residences along the streets. Storerooms were also available for the manufacture of frankincense. Houses could have several floors.
The collection of temples is another remarkable feature of the ancient city of Sumhuram. The largest temple, located in the city’s western outskirts, was devoted to Sin, the moon god. Two staircases led to the entrance of the temple. Additionally, archeologists discovered also a small shrine and another temple outside the city near the lagoon’s opening.
The market was located in the city’s south-eastern section. The marketplace and the harbor were connected by a small entrance in the city wall’s eastern side.
The shifting nature of the coastline, however, caused Sumhuram’s port to silt up over time, and trade shifted to other regions. By the third century AD, the site had most certainly been abandoned.
SUMHURAM TODAY
It is hard to believe that 2000 years ago Khor Rori was a trading post on the frankincense route and one of the world’s most important ports, looking out over one of Dhofar’s most beautiful bays.
Except for the painstakingly excavated ruins of Sumhuram Archaeological Park, there is little left of the city today.
To visit Sumhuram Archaeological Park you will have to pass through the gate (17.045795, 54.433575). The entry ticket to the park is OR 2 per car. After driving for a few hundred meters from the gate, you can park the car next to the ruins and explore the ancient city of Sumhuram on foot.
You’ll wander through a tangle of partially excavated apartments and corridors atop the city mound, which overlooks a small freshwater harbor developed behind a crack in the sea wall. Today, parts of the city walls are being restored, and artifacts discovered include incense burners, oil lamps made of shells, earthenware, and fishing implements.
DESERT TEARS – FRANKINCENSE
Frankincense, a valuable resin, is also known as olibanum, which comes from the Arabic word “al-luban”. It is most remembered in Western culture as one of the three gifts given to Jesus by wise men at his birth, although its history dates back far further, and it is still a valuable and widely utilized good today, for example during Catholic mass. Some of the best frankincense comes from Yemen, Oman, and Somalia. Ethiopia is also noted for its frankincense production.
During frankinscence’s heyday, incense was widely used in used in religious ceremonies to make offerings to the gods by the Greeks, Romans, Babylonians, and Assyrians and burials – to hide the foul odor of corpses. It was also distilled into a strong perfume desired by royalty, including King Tut of Ancient Egypt, whose tomb contains remains of frankinscence. Incense was so popular in antiquity that at times its price was as high as gold in the bustling markets of the Roman Empire.
To meet this pent-up demand, incense was distributed via a vast network of overland commerce. When the summer monsoon ends, South Arab traders will pack resin on their camels and transport it through Arabia to Gaza and other Mediterranean ports, a grueling 2,000 km journey known as the “Incense Trail”. One of the key resting points in this network was Shisr (18.255392, 53.649181), an outpost some 180 km north of modern Salalah where caravans loaded water and other supplies before venturing into the world’s largest sand desert – the Empty Quarter.
MUSEUM OF FRANKINCENSE LAND
Hidden between lush coconut plantations and the deep blue sea, the Incense Land Museum, has two halls filled with exhibits exploring the country’s cultural and maritime history. One exhibition at the Maritime Hall explains how incense has traditionally been sourced and distributed; another explores the history of the adjacent archaeological site of Al Baleed.
AL BALEED ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE
Al Balleed includes the remains of the port from which incense was shipped from the 8th to the 16th centuries following the fall of Khor Rori. The 64-hectare site, just a stone’s throw from the dazzling sandy beach, includes the ancient ramparts and the remains of the city’s mosque and citadel. Perhaps due to its importance as a regional trading post, the city has been plundered many times in its long history and has gradually disappeared after Portuguese and other European naval forces disrupted the Arab trade routes.
Looking at the ruins of Sumhuram and Al Baleed, one can realize how fragile and how fleeting the power is. How easily the empires of this world collapse. Sumhuram and Al Baleed ruins remain in place to testify about the former abundance of the city and its people. Certainly, they are hiding many secrets that are yet to be discovered.
WHERE TO BUY FRANKINCENSE IN SALALAH
Al Hafa Market in Salalah (17.000788, 54.101407) is where I bought my frankincense supply.
Frankincense is classified into four categories based on when it is harvested. It is obtained by cutting a short strip of bark from the trunk or branches of Boswellia trees and allowing the resin to seep out as a milky fluid that hardens when exposed to air, resulting in frankincense “tears.” This process is then repeated, with a deeper incision, until enough frankincense is produced at the desired consistency, which takes around three months.
The best grade comes from the tree’s second or third annual bleeding. The more opaque – the higher quality. The greatest grades of incense are usually silver and “hojari”.
The resin of Frankincense is edible and is occasionally used as a medication for alleviating arthritis, healing wounds, enhancing the female hormone system, and purifying the air. It is said that burning frankincense in the house on a daily basis is beneficial to one’s health.
Frankincense smoke has been also reported to treat sadness and anxiety in some preliminary research. It has been used for leprosy and toothaches since antiquity, and it has lately been discovered to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities.
Only transparent frankincense with no black or brown impurities is acceptable for internal consumption.
I bought my “hojari” frankincense for medical use for 80 AED for 1 kg but I did not try to bargain, so maybe it is possible to get the price even lower. I would recommend you to search for Omani ladies to buy frankincense from.
If you would like to continue reading about my trip to Salalah, check the next article: Day 8: Ayn Khor Waterfall & Job’s Tomb.
REMEMBER!
- Do not leave any garbage behind, including food. Even organic waste can take months to biodegrade and meanwhile it will attract animals. It may make them stop eating their natural food and rely on what humans leave behind and make them sick.
- Have always a bag ready to collect trash left behind by other inconsiderate people – in the end, you are saving nature.
- Hike or camp over gravel and rocks. In some areas, the vegetation can take years to grow back.
- Leave natural and historical items where you find them.
- Minimize cooking over a campfire, use the stove instead – it is less impact on the wilderness.
UAE OFF-ROADER GUIDE
If you are looking for more off-road trails to discover around the United Arab Emirates, I can recommend this ultimate guide that is packed with many routes, giving very detailed information and answering all questions you could have about off-roading in the UAE.
You can get it from Amazon.
FIELD GUIDE TO EMIRATES
To learn more about UAE’s natural & archaeological treasures, check Amazon.
