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.
