Today is Epiphany, sometimes called the Three Kings’ Day, when traditionally the magi arrived in Bethlehem bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the baby Jesus.  The three gifts had a spiritual meaning with gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death.
When my son in law was at university he spent a summer in Oman researching diseases in camels and cattle belonging to the desert Bedouins.  Frequently when he visited their tents or homes the Omanis would welcome him by burning frankincense in a majmar pot producing a white aromatic smoke and he was given a typical majmar and a bag of frankincense when he returned home,
 Frankincense comes from a tree which grows only in the Arabian Peninsula and during the time of Jesus it was more valuable than gold.  Even now it is expensive due to various factors, including climate change, affecting the trees and there are plans to plant many more trees.
Frankincense has been harvested in the same manner for thousands of years ago.  Farmers first slice the bark of the tree, which allows the milky sap to run. Thereafter, it is left to dry for ten days and then scraped off. Once removed, the frankincense is bagged and sold in markets. Today, Dhofar’s old markets, most notably in Salalah, still house some of the only frankincense markets in the world, where Omanis sell and buy frankincense by the kilo. The resin from the frankincense tree is burned for its pleasing aroma. Aside from being burned as incense, frankincense is also used in toothpaste, deodorant and as a drink flavouring and a bug repellent.