Frankincense, the white gold
Over a few square kilometers in the south of the Sultanate of Oman, thousands of frankincense trees grow on the rocky ground of Wadi Dawkah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Béatrice Boisserie
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In Wadi Dawkah, the “Omani Grasse”
In a corner of Arabia Felix – “Happy Arabia,” the Latin name used by geographers to refer to South Arabia – lies the cradle of frankincense: Wadi Dawkah, 3,500 acres at the heart of the Dhofar region, a rocky land in the south of the Sultanate of Oman, where thousands of frankincense trees grow.
Through smoke: Monotheism and Frankincense
Ever since the Bronze Age, olibanum has played a central part in the rituals observed by many different civilizations. But while we tend to see incense-burning practices primarily as a way to connect humans to the divine, this sacred role does not exclude other, more secular functions, as illustrated by the long history of incense use within monotheistic religions.
A panorama of the Land of Frankincense
Behind the mysterious name “Land of Frankincense” lies a collection of four exceptional sites located in the Dhofar region, in the south of Oman: the remains of the caravan oasis of Shisr, the associated ports of Khor Rori and Al Baleed, and the Wadi Dawkah.
Olibanum resin: a panacea?
In 2022, researchers at the center of natural and medical sciences at the University of Nizwa, 150 km from Muscat, managed to decipher the Boswellia sacra genome using DNA from fresh frankincense leaves. An achievement that owes much to the perseverance of the Omani scientific teams.
Judith: a wonderfully vintage parisienne
Sarah-Lee Chlewicki, with 15 years of experience as an evaluator under her belt, decided to launch Judith in 2022, working hand in hand with the Symrise teams. The fresh new perfume brand paints a stylish portrait of today’s Parisienne – feminine, cool and elegant – as it revisits the olfactory aesthetic of the 1980s.
Eating Frankincense
As well as lending itself to burning, drinking and eating, frankincense can be chewed. In Oman the amber tears shed by the aromatic resin take on every form, from intangible to concrete.
The quintessential scents of Oman
The hospitality of Oman is felt upon arrival at Muscat airport with a subtle, diffused scent of frankincense as Omani people know that if they want to create a tranquil atmosphere, they can turn to olibanum.
Perfume as a way of life in the Middle East
Frankincense, bakhoor, attars: perfume is deeply rooted in Omani culture, starting with the Latin roots of the word, per fumum, meaning through smoke. The love of fragrances can be found throughout the Middle East, inextricably linked to how people see themselves and others, to their personal values, to the social rituals that unfold in daily life or at special occasions.
Wadi Dawkah, The Land of Frankincense
Renaud Salmon, Chief Creative Officer at Amouage and Dominique Roques, perfumery ingredients sourcer, discuss the precious tree’s renaissance in Oman.
Oman, strategically positioned in the Gulf
The partnership between Amouage and Oman, which aims to relaunch the local incense industry, takes place in the historical and geopolitical context of the sultanate. The brand’s intention is to contribute to the social and economic development of the country, while promoting Omani culture.
Renaud Salmon: “Wadi Dawkah is serving as a pilot project for the Omani frankincense industry”
In 2022, Amouage signed a partnership with Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism to relaunch the frankincense industry in the sultanate. This initiative follows on from the inscription of the Land of Frankincense on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. Renaud Salmon, Chief Creative Officer of the Omani fragrance house, takes up the story.
Ginger, by Symrise
On the occasion of the International Exhibition of Raw Materials for Perfumery (SIMPPAR) which will take place on May 31 and June 1 in Paris, we invite you to discover a series of articles originally published in the book From Plant to Essence – A World Tour of Fragrant Raw Materials. Today, let’s talk about ginger, grown and distilled in Madagascar by Symrise.
Ricardo Omori: “In Madagascar, we want to develop unique products of high olfactory quality”
Ricardo Omori is Vice President of the Fine Fragrance division at Symrise. According to him, the “red island” in the Indian Ocean is an extraordinary place, which owes as much to the plants that grow there as to the people using them to create exceptional ingredients for perfumery.
Alexandra Carlin: “This ginger smells of freshly grated root”
Alexandra Carlin is a Symrise
perfumer. She spoke to us about how
Madagascan ginger became one of
her favorite fragrance ingredients.
Madagascar, a land of innovation for Symrise
A hundred years after the first botanical trials were run there, Madagascar remains an extraordinary open-air laboratory.
