What resin from Commiphora trees has long been used in perfumes and incense? Myrrh is the fragrant gum-resin obtained from several Commiphora tree species.
A cut through the bark into the sapwood causes the tree to release resin, which coagulates into waxy lumps and hardens into glossy, yellowish or reddish-brown pieces. Myrrh can be burned as incense, blended into perfumes, or processed for traditional preparations. Its name is linked to a Semitic root associated with bitterness.
Myrrh was a valuable commodity in the ancient world. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as a perfume and ingredient in sacred anointing oil, and it was included in temple incense traditions. The Gospel accounts also associate it with Jesus’s birth and crucifixion narratives. Some Christian denominations continue to use it in liturgical incense and chrism.
Myrrh is often confused with frankincense because both are aromatic resins from the Burseraceae family and both feature in biblical traditions. The botanical distinction is straightforward: frankincense comes from Boswellia, while myrrh is principally associated with Commiphora. Several Commiphora species contribute myrrh-like resins.