Tag: Frankincense

Frankincense in Oman for Christmas

in the Historical Association of Oman’s 2010 Calender

The Historical Association of Oman publishes a Calender each year .  Most images are usually of northern Oman, as thats where the Association is based . This year as a bit of balancing I was happy that a couple of my pictures of the Salalah area could be used.

Incising the Frankincense Tree for the Gum
Incising the Frankincense Tree for the Gum

Here is one,  a Frankincense Tree, appropriately the month is December, being cut for its Gum, by a friend of mine.

BBC looks at the Frankincense Trail as seen by Kate Humble

a modern journey along the route

As the Monsoon Season draws to a close in Salalah it will soon be time to start the Frankincense Harvest.

Tent and Camels waiting for Kate Humble
Tent and Camels waiting for Kate Humble

A crew for the BBC filmed in Oman a piece about the Frankincense Trail in June last year. From Oman they went to The Hadramout and beyond, mixing fable, modernity and a bit of history as seen through Kate Humble’s eyes.

'Albert' and friends waiting for Kate
‘Albert’ and friends waiting for Kate

Apart from the fact that Frankincense is a living legend – the thing I really like about the tree is the culture that surrounds it.

Grains of Frankincense gum
Grains of Frankincense gum

The smoke from the small pebble size pieces is used in Oman as a welcome to guests and the fragrance will scent clothes for a long time .

Walk in the Najd of Dhofar

With cloud cover increasing over the Dhofar coast of Oman I took time to trek through the barren landscape of Dhofar, not on the coast but in the barren mountains towards the desert.

Frankincense Tree Najd Dhofar
Frankincense Tree Najd Dhofar

Here we passed Frankincense trees rustling in the wind and occasional Fan Tailed Ravens but little else of substance. Continue reading “Walk in the Najd of Dhofar”