Wadi Dawkah
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.
Amouage
Podcasts by Nez
The Odyssey of Frankincense in Arts
Art historian Clara Muller discusses the role of frankincense and the trees that produce it in the history of art.
Wadi Dawkah
Boswellia sacra in images and the imagination
Tracing the history of the frankincense tree through images allows us to follow how humans have perceived, utilized, and imagined it over millennia. From ancient reliefs to botanical plates, these representations tell a story that is as much cultural as it is natural.
Wadi Dawkah
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.
News
Ayn Dawkah: the cornerstone of Omani frankincense
At the heart of Wadi Dawkah, the UNESCO-listed site and birthplace of Omani frankincense, Amouage has just laid the cornerstone of an ambitious project for a cultural center dedicated to the desert’s white gold.
Wadi Dawkah
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.
Podcasts by Nez
Frankincense, Oman’s essence
Ayesha Mualla, a social anthropologist and enthusiastic teacher, has conducted research on frankincense usages in the omani culture in the Dhofar region.
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.
Wadi Dawkah
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.
History
The Incense Trade Route, by Sterenn Le Maguer-Gillon
What is the history of incense and its trade? That’s the question answered in this article, which traces the history of the “Incense Route” over several centuries, from its earliest beginnings to the inscription of the Dhofar region in the Sultanate of Oman as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Podcasts by Nez
Sterenn Le Maguer-Gillon and Dominique Roques – Wadi Dawkah, The Incense Trade Route
Dominique Roques discusses with archaeologist Sterren Le Maguer-Gillon about how these places all bear witness to an era when the Omani region was a strategic trading crossroads on the Incense Trade Route.
Olfactory Culture
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.
Podcasts by Nez
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.
Olfactory Culture
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.
Wadi Dawkah
Sayyid Khalid: « Wadi Dawkah was chosen to reintroduce frankincense globally »
Sayyid Khalid, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amouage introduces Wadi Dawkah, the land of Frankincense, an Oman-based UNESCO protected site since 2000.
Interviews
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.
Interviews
Dominique Roques: “Working on a multifaceted project focusing on frankincense trees is a wonderful opportunity”
After 30 years of experience in sourcing natural products, Dominique Roques has been given a three-year mission by Amouage. He is tasked with plotting the renaissance of the frankincense industry in the Wadi Dawkah natural park in the Sultanate of Oman, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Olfactory Culture
Nuts and cereals: the new tasty treats
Walnuts, hazelnuts, puffed rice and toasted granola are some of the all-new gourmand notes making their way into our bottles. Let’s take a look at their botany and history, as well as the latest releases featuring them, with Mane perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui and independent perfumer Anatole Lebreton.
Interviews
Renaud Salmon: “The frankincense industry deserves more transparency”
In Oman, the creative director of Amouage, a company founded in the sultanate in 1983, is overseeing a vast project that will combine responsible production of the precious resin with tourism and cultural activities.
Fairs & Events
Max Forti, ScentXplore founder: “Our main goal is to connect brands, consumers, perfumers, experts and content creators”
In 2019, Max Forti launched ScentXplore in New York, connecting perfume professionals and enthusiasts. After two virtual sessions, the event returns this December 2 and 3, 2022 in a hybrid format, with Nez as its new partner. Interview.
