the word "labdanum"

Labdanum

Etymology

Latin lādanum, from Ancient Greek λήδανον (lēdanon, “gum”), from λήδον (lēdon, “rockrose”), from a Semitic language; compare Akkadian  (ladinnu).
Noun

labdanum (uncountable)

    A sticky brown resin obtained from species of rockrose, used mainly in perfume.
Translations

    Russian: ладан (ru) (ládan) m

Ancient Egypt

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Labdanum is a sticky brown resin obtained from the shrubs Cistus. It has a long history of use in herbal medicine and as a perfume ingredient.

History

In ancient times, the resin was scraped from the fur of goats and sheep that had grazed on the cistus shrubs. It was collected by the shepherds and sold to coastal traders. The false beards worn by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt were actually the labdanum soaked hair of these goats. Later long poles with leather or cloth strips were used to sweep the shrubs and collect the resin which was later extracted. It was used to treat colds, coughs, menstrual problems and rheumatism.

The Crook and Flail in Ancient Egypt

Ambergris - Known today as the rockrose, a shrub which produces beautiful, five-petal flowers; this plant was very famous in ancient Egypt. The whole genus, Cistus, is highly resistant to heat and drought. They have come into the warmer landscape as a staple flowering shrub that grows where few other plants stand a chance. It is a native of the Mediterranean region. Plants contain aromatic oils in abundance. The scent of rock rose oil is very powerful and distinctive. This oil of rock rose has since antiquity been of great value. It is called ladanum, which is reflected in the name of the most oil rich species, Cistus. What made ladanum so coveted is that its properties and scent were similar to ambergris, a byproduct of sperm whales. Collecting ladanum from wild rockroses was done through two methods. First was a process by which special absorptive materials such as cloth or hair was brushed over the top of the plants so that the oil built up on the fibers. It was then heated to release the oils under a more controlled extraction process. It is believed that the flail seen in the hands of gods and pharaohs of ancient Egypt was actually a ladanisterion, or ladanum collecting device. The second method of harvest utilized the herds of goats that are so prevalent in this part of the world. As the goats browsed on rockroses, the oil accumulated in their beards. Each year the long beards of the goats were cut and the oil extracted. For the pharaohs, the false beards glued to the chin were in fact these ladanum-rich goat beards which would surround the man with the desired scent. This is origin of the name for such facial hair, the goatee.

The Crook and Flail in Ancient Egypt

Egypt Feature Story

by Jimmy Dunn

The crook (heka) and the flail or flabellum (nekhakha), are two of the most prominent items in the royal regalia of ancient Egypt. Actual, very fine examples of both survive from ancient Egypt, as do statues and various wall reliefs, paintings and papyrus with representations of these objects. The crook and flail, though different scepters, could every so often be depicted separately, though usually paired with some other type of scepter, but they were most commonly represented together, held across the chest of the kings, Osiris, or other gods identified with them. They were insignias of kingship, and while other deities could proffer them, they never Note the flail held by King Narmer on his famous Palette, a very early example, but also note the lack of a crook.kept them.

................................. However, some scholars prefer to regard it as a ladanisterion, a flail-like instrument used until the present day by shepherds in the Mediterranean region and

Flail ( Flabellum ) Symbol of Guardianship.

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http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/crooksandflails.htm

The flail has long associations with the gods Osiris, Min, and several sacred animals. And like the crook (Sceptre), it was one of the important insignias of royalty. Some scholars believe it to be a whip, maybe derived from a fly whisk. Whilst others think it represents the ladanisterion, an instrument used by very early goatherders. As such, it would symbolise, past traditions and the shepherding aspects of Pharaoh's role as king. The ancient Egyptian name for a flail was nekhakha .

http://www.ancientnile.co.uk/symbols.php

BALM

Probable identification:

ladanum, gum gathered from the rock rose.

Botanical name and images:

Cistus Creticus  Cistus Incanus

Hebrew:

lot

Assyrian:

ladanu

Old Testament:

Genesis 37:25, "As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt" (NIV).

Genesis 43:11, Jeremiah 8:22, 46:11, 51:8.

Tree:

The rock rose is a thorny shrub up to 70 cm high with showy white to pinkish flowers that resemble wild roses. The leaves are quite different, being simple and elliptical rather than compound. The fruit is a capsule that splits into several segments containing minute seeds.

Use:

The rockrose is the source of ladanum, a brown aromatic gum used in medicines and perfumes. Ladanum is collected by boiling shoots or raking the leaves by raking with a tool which has leather thongs in the place of teeth. The leaves are used in herbal teas, and rock roses are cultivated for their flowers.

Scripturally, balms and other ointments are metaphors for the healing power of divine mercy and comfort.

Occurrence:

Rocky brush country of Gilead and elsewhere in the Mediterranean region.

http://www.the-compleat-joiner.com/chart.php

Ambergris

Ambergris.

Known today as the rockrose, a shrub which produces beautiful, five-petal flowers; this plant was very famous in ancient Egypt. The whole genus, Cistus, is highly resistant to heat and drought. They have come into the warmer landscape as a staple flowering shrub that grows where few other plants stand a chance. It is a native of the Mediterranean region. Plants contain aromatic oils in abundance. The scent of rock rose oil is very powerful and distinctive. This oil of rock rose has since antiquity been of great value. It is called ladanum, which is reflected in the name of the most oil rich species, Cistus. What made ladanum so coveted is that its properties and scent were similar to ambergris, a byproduct of sperm whales.

Collecting ladanum from wild rockroses was done through two methods.

First was a process by which special absorptive materials such as cloth or hair was brushed over the top of the plants so that the oil built up on the fibers. It was then heated to release the oils under a more controlled extraction process. It is believed that the flail seen in the hands of gods and pharaohs of ancient Egypt was actually a ladanisterion, or ladanum collecting device.

The second method of harvest utilized the herds of goats that are so prevalent in this part of the world. As the goats browsed on rockroses, the oil accumulated in their beards. Each year the long beards of the goats were cut and the oil extracted. For the pharaohs, the false beards glued to the chin were in fact these ladanum-rich goat beards which would surround the man with the desired scent. This is origin of the name for such facial hair, the goatee.

http://thormans.org/Genevah/Cheopia/Lore/Aroma.html

GODS love fragrances."

GODS love fragrances." That was a common saying among ancient Egyptians. To them, the burning of incense was very much a part of their worship. In the belief that the gods were near, the Egyptians burned incense daily at their temples and household altars and even while engaging in business. Other nations had similar customs.

What is incense? The term can refer to the smoke or to the substance burned. It is made of aromatic resins and gums, such as frankincense and balsam. These are pounded into a powder and are often mixed with such substances as spices, tree bark, and flowers to create certain fragrances for specific applications.

Incense was such a desirable and thus valuable commodity in ancient times that its ingredients became important items of trade. Caravans following trade routes carried these from distant lands. You may recall that Jacob's young son Joseph was sold to Ishmaelite traders who were "coming from Gilead, and their camels were carrying labdanum and balsam and resinous bark, on their way to take it down to Egypt." (Genesis 37:25) The demand for incense became so great that the frankincense trade route, no doubt initiated by incense merchants, opened up travel between Asia and Europe.

Incense is still offered in the ceremonies and rituals of many religions today. Additionally, more and more people choose to burn incense in their homes simply to enjoy its pleasant aroma.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20030601/article_01.htm
http://smileherb.com/index_oscommerce.php?cPath=120

video

the real labdanum from cistus creticus as fragrances.

University of Chicago

Tutankhamun.

Tutankhamun for the Twenty-first Century: Modern Misreadings of an Ancient Culture
Robert K. Ritner

The following text was delivered at the first inaugural celebration for incoming University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer, hosted by the Chicago Society at the Field Museum of Natural History, Thursday, October 26, at 7:30 PM.

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The so-called "flail" was no slave-master's whip, but most likely an agricultural instrument, used to harvest ladanum-resin as is still done by shepherds in Crete and Cyprus.14
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http://oi.uchicago.edu/research/is/ritner2006.html


14. H. G. Fischer, "Geissel," in Lexikon der Ägyptologie, vol. II, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, 1977, cols.

Lot

Lot

The origin of the name of Avraham's nephew, Lot לוט, is unclear. Sarna writes that the origin is unknown, presumably following Cassuto, who rejects a connection to the name Lotan in Bereshit 36:20 (which is the suggestion by Kil in Daat Mikra on Bereshit 11:27) or a connection to the old Egyptian name of the eastern portion of the Land of Israel - Ruten - as suggested by Paton in The Early History of Syria and Palestine.

However, Rabbi Eldad Zamir writes here that: Lot is portrayed in a variety of different ways in the Torah, Midrash, and commentators. While at times he is portrayed as a positive figure, at times he is portrayed as a negative figure as well. This ambivalence can even be seen in Lot's name. 'Lot' has two possible meanings: it either comes from the noun lot (laudanum, a fragrant plant extract; see Bereishit 37:25, 43:11) or from the Aramaic verb lut (to curse; see Targum Onkelos, 12:3, et al.). Lot is either fragrant or worthy of curse.

Klein says that the name laudanum may derive from lot:

Probably related to Akka. ladunu, Arab. ladan ( = ladanum). Persian ladan is an Arabic loan word. Greek ledon ( = rockrose), whence ladanon ( = labdanum) is a Semitic loan word.

He also writes that the word "lotus" derives from lot, as does the Online Etymology Dictionary (who might be relying on Klein):

from L. lotus, from Gk. lotos, name used for several plants before it came to mean Egyptian white lotus (a sense attested in Eng. from 1584); perhaps from a Sem. source (cf. Heb. lot "myrrh")

Rashi on 37:25 identifies lot with לוטס - lotes as mentioned in the Mishna - Sheviit 7:6. However, the Mishna actually uses the word לוטם - lotem. Similarly, Shadal says that Onkelos translates lot as לטוס - but the edition of Onkelos that I have has the version לטום

letom. This confusion could be related to a mix-up between the letters samech and mem-sofit, but there is also a plant called lotem - from which, according to Felix, the fragrance lot is made.

As to the Aramaic lut, Jastrow says it derives from the root לוט meaning "to cover", and the development to the meaning "curse" comes from a sense of "to talk secretly". The root לוט is used in the Hebrew phrase לוט בזה - lut b'zeh - meaning "hereby enclosed" (explained here).

http://www.balashon.com/2006_11_01_archive.html

Plants of the Bible

(Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible)


U. Myrrh. The King James Version uses the word myrrh with reference to different plants. One of these was a small tree with bushy branches and three-sectioned leaves, bearing a plum-like fruit, and producing a fragrant gum that had many uses. The Hebrew word for this plant was mor. It was used in anointing oil (Exod. 30:23), in perfume (Psa. 45:8; Prov. 7:17; Song 3:6), and in ceremonial cleansing (Esther 2:12). The magi brought it to the baby Jesus (Matt. 2:11). It was offered to Jesus on the cross (Mark 15:23), and was used to prepare Jesus' body for burial (John 19:39).

The myrrh mentioned in Genesis 37:25 and 43:11 was probably the tree Cistus creticus. The Hebrew word for this plant is lot. This shrub produces pink flowers and is sometimes known as the "rock "rose." It is very fragrant and valued for its perfume.

The tree that produces the myrrh used in modern times is not of the same genus or species as the myrrh of Bible times.
http://www.angelfire.com/sc3/wedigmontana/Plantsp7.html

Ladanum (Heb. lot, translated "myrrh" in Gen. xxxvii. 25, xliii. i i), the resinous exudation of Cistus creticus, C. ladaniferus and other species of "rock rose" or "rose of Sharon";

http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Incense

Myrrh in the Old Testament

Myrrh- O.T.
Hebrew: lot
Cistus creticus

One of the best known stories is the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers in the Old Testament. Later when they were in desperate need of food, they went to him at Pharaoh's Court. In humility they asked for help to give them food. In Palestine in early spring, there thrives amid sand and rocks a small shrub. It is about the size of a dwarf rhododendron. Growing everywhere, on plains, mountain sides and in rocky desert areas, throughout the summer its flowers are seen. The myrrh flowers are shaped like wild roses and are rich pink deepening to a crimson red. Centered within the five petals are vivid gold stamens and a single erect pistil. It is the "rock rose," also known as the "lot plant." It provides a sweet smelling gum from all its parts and peasants have gathered it for centuries. They use a small stick wound around with soft cloth, and on calmer days, they carefully wipe the sweet substance from the shrub and round it into balls. It is then pressed into cakes that are used for perfume. This is the "lot" which through a mistranslation has been rendered in parts of the Old Testament as "myrrh." The true myrrh came from the plant called "mor."

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/parthenon/3664/myrrh-old.html

Myrrh of Bible.

 Heb. mor.

(1.) First mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It formed part of the gifts brought by the wise men from the east, who came to worship the infant Jesus (Matt. 2:11). It was used in embalming (John 19:39), also as a perfume (Esther 2:12; Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17). It was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by crucifixion "wine mingled with myrrh" to produce insensibility. This drugged wine was probably partaken of by the two malefactors, but when the Roman soldiers pressed it upon Jesus "he received it not" (Mark 15:23). (See GALL ¯T0001419.) This was the gum or viscid white liquid which flows from a tree resembling the acacia, found in Africa and Arabia, the Balsamodendron myrrha of botanists. The "bundle of myrrh" in Cant. 1:13 is rather a "bag" of myrrh or a scent-bag.

Cistus Creticus or Rock Rose That Cistus grow in East Mediterranean.

(2.) Another word _lot_ is also translated "myrrh" (Gen.37:25; 43:11; R.V., marg., "or ladanum"). What was meant by this word is uncertain. It has been thought to be the chestnut, mastich, stacte, balsam, turpentine, pistachio nut, or the lotus. It is probably correctly rendered by the Latin word ladanum, the Arabic ladan, an aromatic juice of a shrub called the Cistus or rock rose, which has the same qualities, though in a slight degree, of opium, whence a decoction of opium is called laudanum. This plant was indigenous to Syria and Arabia.

Bibliography Information
Easton, Matthew George. M.A., D.D., "Biblical Meaning for 'Myrrh' Eastons Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Eastons; 1897.

king Solomon - Rose of Sharon.

CISTUS / ROSE OF SHARON

[The scented myrrh] permeates the pages of Solomon's writings with more references than any other Bible author.

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Other plants have been translated as balm that are not species of Commiphora. A handbook for Bible translators equates balm with Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. (Zygophyllaceae),52 perhaps because the oil from the seed was used in embalming in Egypt.53 However, the best candidate for balm of Gilead appears to be Cistus incanus L., including C. creticus and C. villosus, (Cistaceae). Cistus incanus is a common and widespread plant in the Mediterranean region.

The extract of C. incanus is ladanum, or labdanum. It was widely used in the Mediterranean for a variety of medicines. Recent research has documented the medical efficacy of some compounds in ladanum.54 There is also strong biblical evidence that balm of Gilead is C. incanus. The weeping prophet, Jeremiah, refers twice to the balm from Gilead (Jer. 8:22, 46:11). While this could be Commiphora that had been transported there, a more natural explanation is ladanum. Stronger evidence is found in Ezek. 27:17 regarding trade in balm between Israel and Minnith.

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http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1999/PSCF3-99Musselman.html#54

11. ROSE OF SHARON/CISTUS - Also called Rock Rose or labdanum. This is a fragrance of prophecy, visions and all quests for truth. Rose of Sharon cannot provide answers, nor can it speak, but it stimulates the eternal knowledge that is intrinsic to all human beings. Rose of Sharon brings awareness that the universal spirit can be glimpsed and absorbed into our very being, although the complete merging with God must remain just out of reach while we fulfill our role here on earth.Not a true rose (Rosa damascena) the beautiful blooms of this plant have a soft honey-like scent and are thought to be the flowers of a shrub that grows wild on the Plains of Sharon just west of Jerusalem. “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley.” (Song of Solomon 2:1)

http://aromaclasses.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/spiritual-emotional-uses-of-twelve-oils-of-ancient-scripture-kit/

Bible - One of the three gifts the Magi

Myrrh
From ancient times, the aromatic gum resin, myrrh, was extracted from a tree in Africa and Arabia, much the same way that frankincense was extracted. Then a mixture of resin, gum, and the essential oil myrrhol, was mixed to produce what was commonly known as myrrh. It had a bitter, pungent taste, and ranged in color from yellowish brown to reddish brown. It was highly valued in ancient times as an ingredient of perfume and incense, and was also used as an ointment. A similar product, known as Balm of Gilead or Mecca Myrrh, was obtained from a specific type of myrrh tree.

Myrrh is mentioned in the Bible (Psalm 45:8; Song of Solomon 4:14) and is believed to have been a mixture of myrrh and the oleoresin labdanum. One of the three gifts the Magi brought to Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:11) was myrrh. Myrrh gum resin was also used as a stimulant tonic and is even used today as an antiseptic in mouthwashes as well as to treat sore gums and teeth.
The Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed myrrh for sores and the Romans used it to treat worm infestation, coughs, and certain infections. Up to 3000 tons of frankincense and myrrh were transported each year during the height of Nabataean trade.

more
http://nabataea.net/items.html

Cistus creticus. Balm of Gilead. Dibbeen, Jordan. Cistaceae Why There May Be No Balm in Gilead

Balm of Gilead is an image familiar to Bible students even though it is mentioned in only two verses. The weeping prophet, as Jeremiah is known, writes in Jeremiah 8:22, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?" What is this product of Gilead?First, what is Gilead? According to the biblical account in the book of Joshua(2), Gilead is apparently the region from the middle of the Arnon Gorge (Wadi Mujib) to Mount Hermon (Jebel Al Sheik) with the Jabbok River (Zarqa River) being the middle of the territory. This included the domain of the Ammonites and the Amorites as well as the region known as Bashan. In division of territory to the patriarchs, Gilead was apportioned to the half tribe of Manasseh (the other half remained west of the Jordan River), Reuben, and Gad.

Although a small area in terms of square kilometers, Gilead is diverse stretching from the margins of the Jordan valley and the peaks along the Rift Valley to the edge of the Badia (steppe).

In ancient times parts of Gilead were covered with forests. These forests were the southernmost extension of their kind, and the southern extreme of the range of the Aleppo pine. Today, only vestiges of these forests remain. A prime example is Dibbeen National Park.
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Cistus' resin is fragrant, as noted, and has been used for millennia to produce an incense. Even today, the resin is collected in parts of Greece. It can be harvested in a variety of ways. One ancient method is to comb the hair of goats who graze in plant communities where Cistus is abundant. Another is by dragging a rake with long, leather tines across the shrubs at the hottest time of day and then removing the resin when it is dry(3). To my knowledge, it does not have any widespread use among modern Arabs.
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Back to Gilead. Is it possible these species of Cistus were widespread and more common throughout Gilead and used as a medicine? Could this be the balm of Gilead? Again, the weeping prophet in Jeremiah 46: 11: "Go up to Gilead and get balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. But you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you." This implies that Gilead was a special source of the medicine. If so, why was Gilead chosen as a site for harvesting the balm rather than similar areas west of the Jordan? We simply don't know. Nor should we neglect the possibility that the prophet Jeremiah was speaking in a metaphorically way.

What is certain is that the beautiful Cistus shrubs, perhaps the most likely candidate for the balm of Gilead, are much less frequent now then in previous years. This is due to the widespread destruction of the forest type that harbors them. To ensure that future generations of Jordanians can appreciate these attractive members of the indigenous flora, they need to be protected. This can only be done by preserving the forest in which they grow. Otherwise, there will be no balm in Gilead.
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Rock rose.

In my last lecture, I spoke at length about rockrose, or Balm of Gilead. Because it may be confused with some of the other plants used for balm, especially myrrh, I want to refer to it again and draw upon some recent research.

Two species of Cistus are common in Syria, C. creticus and C. salvifolius. They are easily distinguished by their flower color. The large pink flowers of C. creticus and the slightly smaller but equally beautiful white flowers of C. salvifolius appear in May. On a hot day, the fragrant resin of the plants is obvious. Upon closer examination, you can see the numerous hairs that cover the leaves and young stems of both species. The resin will stick to your hands if you collect leaves.

Cistus' resin is fragrant, as noted, and has been used for millennia to produce an incense. Even today, the resin is collected in parts of Greece. It can be harvested in a variety of ways. One ancient method is to comb the hair of goats who graze in plant communities where Cistus is abundant. Another is by dragging a rake with long, leather tines across the shrubs at the hottest time of day and then removing the resin when it is dry(1). To my knowledge, it does not have any widespread use among modern Arabs.

The resin is also used for medicine, as a balm that can reduce inflammation of the skin. Recent research on the biochemistry of the plant has shown the efficacy of compounds in the plant for dermatological disorders(2). Recent research in Turkey shows that, of the seven plants used as folk remedies for ulcers, the one with the greatest efficacy was C. salvifolius(3).
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http://www.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/bible/cistus.php

ONYCHA - LABDANUM

“Onycha” is one of the most mysterious substances mentioned in the Bible. It occurs as an ingredient in the recipe for sacred incense given in Exodus 30 v.34:"

The Onycha is a rockrose

Onycha

Hebrew: shecheleth

The onycha referred to in Exodus is a rockrose that produces a gum known as labdanum. Onycha blossoms are fully three inches across, white and have at the base of every petal a lot blotch of scarlet-rose deepening to black. Its golden center is made up of a hundred small stamens and a pistil. Onycha in Greek means "fingernail." This probably comes from markings on the petals. The three feet tall bush is a mass of blossoms all through the dry season. Leaves are dark sage green, strongly scented and finely veined. Late in the year a soft glutinous resin exudes from the leaves and stems. This resin is very fragrant and aromatic. Orientals credit it with great medicinal properties and it was highly regarded in biblical times. According to Dioscorides the resin of this plant was first noted long ago because of a herd of goats; the animals, after roaming among the young onycha shoots would return home with their long beards coated with a sticky substance that hardened in the air.

Exodus 30:34 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:

Exodus 30:35 (KJV) And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:

Exodus 30:36 (KJV) And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.

http://books.google.gr/books?id=QtsjkP3Xg8QC&pg=PA377&lpg=PA377&dq=onycha+cistus+creticus&source=web&ots=PDURDKm3sT&sig=BuQzbEvKMgrVjFqraHY2csW0t5I&hl=el..................

Rock Rose (Cistus creticus) : Folk names are European rock rose, labdanum, onycha, and frostwort. The gum resin is used. Use for success and prosperity. The oil smells like ambergris. The gum resin is a natural exudation, and burns with a clear flame. This is associated with the Sun.
CHAPTER 64: HERBAL POWDERS AND BREWS page 377

page 376 Onycha : see Rock Rose