From there, caravans brought the precious resins along the Incense Route, one of the oldest trade routes in the world, to the Mediterranean.
In the narrow alleys of Mutrah Souk in Muscat, the capital of Oman, tourists crowd together in search of the perfect souvenir to take home. It’s stuffy, and even in autumn, temperatures quickly rise to thirty degrees. The air is spicy, with a hint of lemon. This very special scent is closely associated with Christmas in the Western world. The Three Wise Men from the East brought frankincense, gold, and myrrh as gifts to the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Even though myrrh and frankincense no longer hold such high value, the resin has a firm place in the liturgy of the Catholic Church. The scent lingers almost permanently in the air at the souk, emanating from most of the small shops in the alleys.
