Magi

Magi
Frankincense (Boswelia frereana/carterii), Balsam Fir (Abies Balsamea), Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11) Some researchers believe that the “gold” mentioned here possibly refers to infused fir oil since it is mentioned elsewhere in ancient literature as “gold.” Another possibility is that "gold" referred to a golden flower grown in the region known as helichrysum, which is derived from the Greek words helisso (to turn around) and chrysos (gold). Of course, it's a possibility that "gold" refers to the precious metal. The Frankincense was likely resin, and the myrrh was likely powder. Essential oils as we know them are steam distilled, and true steam distillation is attributed to Avicenna (Ibn Sina), a Persian scientist, in the eleventh century. Aromatic products during ancient times would most likely have been extracted with solvents such as olive oil, which would have produced a different chemistry than distilled oils. In the first century, Dioscorides, a Greek herbalist, wrote a detailed description about obtaining herbal oils by infusing the plant in hot oil for their medicinal properties.