HvWO 190

Pottery Incense Burner

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Incense Burner

Round shaped incense burner. Painted decoration (faded). Height 10 cm. This aromatic resin was in great demand in the ancient world  (including Greeks and Romans) for religious ceremonies and burial rites and the most important place where best-quality frankincense grew was and is southern Oman. However the role of Oman as an exporter of incense stopped when it was discovered how to produce cheap incense synthetically (chemically)

 

Arab name: Majimar

Period: 1950-1970

Origin: Southern Oman: Salalah Dhofar. Purchased in Salalah early 1980´s.

References:
  1. Craft heritage of Oman Neil Richardson & Maria Dorr Part two p 504 (modern pottery)
  2. A tribute to Oman The Sultanates Yearbook: 1993/1994 "Perfumes of Arabia by Pippa Lacey" Apex Ruwi page 125
  3. Tribute to Oman 1994 p 32-41 White Gold The story of Frankincense by Pauline Shelton
  4. British Museum on-line collection number 2012.6030.107 Comment: modern piece