Islamic Art
Incense
A brief look at the history and use of incense
Incense has a long history, with the earliest burners originating from Egypt in around 2500 BCE. Incense has also been found across a vast area, from the Indus civilisation in South America, to use across the Roman and Greek lands, through to China and beyond. It is therefore no surprise that incense burners are also found across a large area and time period. Ancient China began to use incense around 2000 BCE for religious purposes, with its use becoming increasingly common until its peak in the Song dynasty from 960–1279 CE when buildings were erected specifically for incense ceremonies.
Whilst Chinese incense tends to be direct-burning, most Arabic incense is indirect burning where the incense itself does not contain a combustible material and therefore requires a separate heat source. Available in chips or blocks called bakhoor, incense is used in the Middle East to perfume the house, particularly on Fridays or on special occasions like weddings. In addition, it is a sign of hospitality in the region to burn incense for guests.
Chinese use is also wide-ranging, from religious ceremonies to traditional medicine to daily life; where incense was commonly used by scholars and the literati due to the belief that it helped with studying and the retention of…
