Incense burners at the Oasis of Tayma, northwest Arabia: an olfactory perspective

Abstract

Dried resins such as frankincense or myrrh have been important commodities in antique societies due to their pleasant scent when burned. Creation of an aromatic fragrant smoke, used for a variety of functions in Antiquity, is attested by textual sources as well as by iconographic sources. Since ephemeral phenomena such as odors or smells can only be studied through their indirect effects, investigating devices used to produce them provides important data. The essen-tial (elements?) of? this investigation are, therefore, the incense burners. Excavations at the oasis of Tayma revealed several vessels and cuboid containers, interpreted as incense burners, with preserved residues. This paper aims at presenting the assemblage of burners found at Tayma and to offer a sensory perspective on the use of aromatics in antiquity to provide new insights into the scented world of an ancient oasis.